Description
This Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring savory Italian sausage, tender pasta, and a rich, creamy Parmesan sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Red pepper flakes, optional, to taste
- 1 pound pasta (such as penne or rotini)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add the diced onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes to the skillet with the sausage. Cook until the onion is softened and translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Lower the heat to medium. Stir in the heavy cream and allow it to warm. Then add the grated Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat in the sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add reserved pasta water gradually until desired consistency is reached. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to heat everything through.
- Serve the pasta hot, garnished generously with chopped fresh basil for a fresh flavor contrast.
Notes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta