The key to creating this savory, creamy Italian sausage pasta recipe is to let the sausage drippings mingle with the heavy cream before adding the cheese: this builds a deep, spicy flavor base that coats the penne perfectly. It’s delicious served with extra red pepper flakes and a side of crispy garlic bread.
Jump to RecipeItalian Sausage Pasta Recipe Ingredients
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 5 oz baby spinach
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan
How To Make Italian Sausage Pasta Recipe
- Boil the pasta: Fill a large pot with water and salt it heavily. Bring it to a rolling boil and cook the penne until it is just al dente. Reserve about half a cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Heat the skillet: While the pasta is boiling, add the olive oil to a large skillet and place it over medium-high heat.
- Brown the sausage: Add the ground Italian sausage, minced onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt to the skillet. Cook while breaking the meat into small pieces until the sausage is no longer pink and the onions are translucent.
- Drain the fat: If there is an excessive amount of liquid or grease in the pan, carefully drain it off. However, leaving a small amount of the sausage drippings will add extra flavor to the sauce.
- Simmer the cream: Turn the heat down to low and pour in the heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a very gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to incorporate the flavors from the bottom of the pan.
- Wilt the spinach: Toss the baby spinach into the cream sauce. Stir for about 3 minutes until the leaves have wilted down and are evenly distributed.
- Add the cheese: Stir in the shredded Parmesan cheese and continue to mix until the sauce is smooth and the cheese is fully melted.
- Toss and serve: Dump the cooked penne into the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat the pasta thoroughly, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce feels too thick. Serve immediately while hot.
Recipe Tips
- Choose your heat: If you love spicy food, use “Hot” Italian sausage and double the red pepper flakes; if you prefer a milder meal, use “Sweet” or “Mild” sausage.
- Don’t overcook the spinach: Only add the spinach at the very end; it only takes a minute or two to wilt, and overcooking it will make it slimy.
- Freshly shredded is best: Buy a block of Parmesan and shred it yourself for the smoothest sauce, as pre-shredded cheese is often coated in starch that prevents it from melting perfectly.
- Keep the pasta water: The starchy water you boiled the pasta in is “liquid gold” for cream sauces—it helps the sauce bind to the noodles rather than sliding off.
What To Serve With Italian Sausage Pasta
This hearty, comfort-food dish pairs beautifully with simple, crisp sides.
- Buttery garlic bread or focaccia
- A classic Caesar salad
- Roasted zucchini or steamed broccoli
- A glass of bold red wine like a Chianti or Zinfandel
How To Store Italian Sausage Pasta
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat: When reheating, the cream sauce will likely be very thick. Add a splash of milk or water before microwaving or heating on the stove to bring back the creamy consistency.
- Freeze: It is not recommended to freeze this pasta, as the heavy cream sauce may separate and become grainy when thawed.
Italian Sausage Pasta Nutrition Facts
- Calories: ~720 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Protein: 28g
- Fat: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 4g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Absolutely; just remove the casings and crumble the meat into the pan, or slice the links into rounds and brown them that way.
For a lighter version, you can use half-and-half, but be aware that the sauce will be thinner and won’t be quite as rich or “velvety.”
Can I add other vegetables? Yes, sliced mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes are excellent additions to this recipe. Sauté them at the same time as the onions and garlic.
Italian Sausage Pasta Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: Italian-AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes20
minutes720
kcalA rich and comforting one-pan pasta dish featuring spicy Italian sausage, fresh baby spinach, and a silky Parmesan cream sauce.
Ingredients
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1 lb penne pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ yellow onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp salt
2 cups heavy cream
5 oz baby spinach
1 cup shredded Parmesan
Directions
- Boil the penne in salted water until al dente, reserving a splash of water before draining.
- Sauté the onion, garlic, and sausage in oil until the meat is browned.
- Simmer the heavy cream on low heat with the sausage mixture.
- Wilt the spinach into the sauce for about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and melty.
- Combine the pasta and sauce, tossing to coat every noodle.
- Serve hot with extra red pepper flakes if desired.
Notes
- Use a large enough skillet to hold all the pasta and sauce together to save on dishes.
- If the sausage is very fatty, drain all but one tablespoon of the grease for the best flavor-to-fat ratio.
- Breaking the sausage into very small crumbles helps it distribute more evenly throughout the pasta.
