Description
Creamy Sausage Pasta is a delicious and comforting dish made with penne pasta, Italian sausage, and a rich creamy sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy, casings removed)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Reduce the heat to low and pour in the heavy cream, stirring to combine. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. If the sauce is too thick, gradually add some reserved pasta water until desired consistency is reached.
- Add the cooked penne pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce. Season with red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream.
- Add sautéed spinach or peas for extra vegetables and color in the dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 100mg