Description
A quick and hearty creamy smoked sausage pasta with a velvety sauce, perfect for easy weeknight dinners in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces smoked sausage (kielbasa or Andouille), sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 150g / 5.3 oz)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 cup heavy cream (240ml / 8 fl oz), full-fat
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth (240ml / 8 fl oz)
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (75g / 2.6 oz)
- 12 ounces dry pasta (penne, rigatoni, fusilli, or rotini)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or dried basil and oregano mix)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Slice the smoked sausage into ½-inch rounds, dice the onion, and mince the garlic. Measure out cream, broth, and seasoning. Grate Parmesan cheese.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook until just al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Scoop out 1 cup pasta water before draining. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage slices in a single layer and brown for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving drippings in the pan.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to skillet and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Stir in heavy cream and Italian seasoning. Simmer gently for 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
- Remove skillet from heat. Gradually stir in grated Parmesan until melted and smooth. Add browned sausage back to sauce and stir to coat. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until desired creaminess is reached.
- Add drained pasta to skillet and toss to coat noodles evenly with sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil if desired.
Notes
[‘Save 1 cup of pasta water before draining to adjust sauce consistency.’, ‘Brown sausage well for caramelized flavor and sauce depth.’, ‘Use freshly grated Parmesan for smooth sauce; avoid pre-grated cheese.’, ‘Remove pan from heat before adding cheese to prevent grainy sauce.’, ‘Use room temperature cream to avoid sauce seizing.’, ‘Salt pasta water generously to build flavor.’, ‘To reheat leftovers, warm gently with a splash of cream or milk over low heat.’, ‘Do not freeze as cream sauce may separate.’, ‘Optional add-ins: fresh spinach, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, or cooked chicken.’, ‘For lighter version, use half-and-half and reduce Parmesan.’, ‘For dairy-free, substitute cream with canned coconut milk and Parmesan with nutritional yeast.’]
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 18
Keywords: creamy smoked sausage pasta, easy dinner, weeknight meal, one-pan sauce, comfort food, sausage pasta recipe, creamy pasta sauce