My comfort food version of this creamy sausage pasta recipe gets a deeper flavor from well-browned Italian sausage, slower-cooked onions, and one small trick that makes the sauce taste richer and more balanced.
IT’S COOKING!
I’m making this right now, and I’ll be following this exact recipe as I go to make sure I wrote it all out correctly. If you’d like to make it too, you’re welcome to cook alongside me. I’ll come back and update this post with photos and any notes after I complete my test in the Maker Farm kitchen, but this is the version I’m using right now. Mmm… can’t wait.
Creamy Sausage Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 large skillet or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 1 small onion diced
- 3-4 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil only if needed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste optional, but excellent if you have it
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- Crushed red pepper flakes if you like heat
- sprinkle of fresh parsley or basil
Optional crispy topping (worth it)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or torn sandwich bread pulsed up
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon parmesan
- pinch garlic powder or minced garlic
Instructions
- Cook the pastaBring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the penne until just al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Brown the sausage properlyWhile the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the ground Italian sausage. Let it cook without stirring too much at first so it can develop real browning and crispy edges instead of just turning gray. Break it up as it cooks and let it brown well, about 7–8 minutes. If your sausage is very lean, add a little olive oil.
- Cook the onions slowlyAdd the diced onion directly to the skillet with the sausage and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and lightly golden. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. If you have tomato paste, stir it in now and let it cook for about 1 minute until it darkens slightly and smells richer.
- Make the creamy sauceLower the heat and pour in the heavy cream, stirring well and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add both kinds of parmesan and stir until the cheese melts into the sauce. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water and stir until the sauce becomes smooth and silky. Taste before adding salt, since the sausage and parmesan may already provide plenty. Add black pepper and red pepper flakes if desired.
- Make the topping (optional)If you’d like the crispy topping, heat a small skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil. Add the breadcrumbs and cook until golden brown, stirring often. Add a little parmesan and garlic during the last 30 seconds, then remove from the heat.
- Finish the pastaAdd the cooked penne to the sauce and toss until every piece is coated. Let it sit for a minute or two so the sauce clings to the pasta. Serve hot with extra parmesan on top and the crispy breadcrumbs sprinkled over everything, if using, and some optional fresh parsley or basil.
Nutrition
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Meet Jennifer
Jennifer cooks and experiments in the kitchen at Maker Farm, where she focuses on simple pantry cooking, homemade staples, and practical recipes that make everyday meals easier. Over the years she has tested many ways to make cooking simpler and more dependable, and shares the methods that work best in her own kitchen, occasionally showing them on her Heart to Home at Maker Farm vlog.
