Weeknight • Pasta
Creamy Tomato Sausage Pasta
A comforting, incredibly simple pasta dish featuring savory sausage in a luscious tomato cream sauce.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Weeknight
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Get ready for a new weeknight favorite! This Creamy Tomato Sausage Pasta hits all the right notes: it’s hearty, incredibly flavorful, and comes together with minimal fuss. The rich, velvety sauce clings beautifully to every strand of pasta, making each bite pure comfort. You’ll be adding this one to your regular rotation in no time!
Ingredients
Yield: 4 servings
Main
- 1 lb pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fusilli work well)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or hot, casing removed)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil or parsley, chopped, for garnish
Preparation
Step 1
Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Step 2
While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
Step 3
Add chopped onion to the skillet with the sausage and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
Step 4
Pour in the crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and let it cook for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
Step 5
Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until well combined and heated through. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water until desired consistency is reached.
Step 6
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil or parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.
Tips
- For a vegetarian version, swap the sausage for a can of drained cannellini beans or sautéed mushrooms.
- Don't skip the reserved pasta water! It's starchy goodness helps the sauce emulsify and cling to the pasta beautifully.
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