Description
This Creamy Smoked Sausage Pasta is a quick and satisfying dish featuring smoky sausage, a velvety Parmesan cream sauce, and tender pasta. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s the perfect meal for busy nights!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pasta:
- 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon salt (for boiling water)
For the Sausage and Sauce:
- 1 lb smoked sausage, sliced into rounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For Garnish:
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Extra Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions.
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Brown the Sausage:
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the smoked sausage and cook for 3-4 minutes, until browned.
- Remove sausage from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté the Aromatics:
- In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in garlic, paprika, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
- Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Build the Sauce:
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in chicken broth, scraping the skillet’s bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat and stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until smooth.
- Combine Everything:
- Return browned sausage and pasta to the skillet.
- Toss everything to coat in the creamy sauce.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Serve & Garnish:
- Plate the pasta hot and garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan.
- Enjoy immediately
Notes
- Use different sausages – Try chicken, turkey, or beef sausage for variety.
- Adjust the spice level – Add or skip the red pepper flakes to control the heat.
- For a lighter version, swap half-and-half for heavy cream and reduce Parmesan slightly.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on low heat with a splash of milk or broth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes