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Easy sausage pasta with a homemade creamy sauce is one of the best easy dinners to make on busy weeknights with only simple ingredients, and the best flavor.
I like an easy skillet recipe like this tender pasta recipe. You can treat it as a complete meal, or add a side dish or two if you’d like.
Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
This is one of those comfort meals that is super easy to make, but still tastes amazing. The creamy richness of the pasta sauce pairs perfectly with the ground sausage and spinach for an easy yet delectable meal every single time.
Ingredients for Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta:
- Protein: Use either regular ground sausage or spicy Italian sausage
- Pasta: I like to use penne pasta, but you can use your favorite dry pasta
- Oil: Only a little olive oil or avocado oil is needed
- Onion: Dice a yellow onion or white onion for so much flavor
- Seasoning: A delicious combination of minced garlic and kosher salt
- Cream: To make the creamy pasta sauce, use heavy cream for its rich flavor
- Vegetables: I like to add some chopped fresh spinach to this creamy pasta dish
- Cheese: Adding shredded Parmesan cheese is the best way to finish off this comforting pasta dish
- Cream Cheese: Adds a nice texture
- Diced Tomatoes: Good way to bulk up a dish on a budget
How to Make Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta:
Cook pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne pasta according to package directions.
- Drain and set aside.
Brown sausage:
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the sausage, diced onion, garlic, and salt.
- Cook until the sausage is browned and no longer pink, breaking it apart as it cooks.
- Drain excess fat if needed, then return the sausage mixture to the skillet.
Add cream:
- Reduce heat to low and pour in the heavy cream, cream cheese and diced tomatoes if using. Stir with a spatula and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add spinach and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until wilted.
Add in cheese and pasta:
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and well combined.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss until evenly coated in the sauce.
- Serve immediately.
Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp cream cheese, cubed
- 14 oz diced tomatoes optional
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Cook pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne pasta according to package directions.
- Drain and set aside.
Brown sausage:
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the sausage, diced onion, garlic, and salt.
- Cook until the sausage is browned and no longer pink, breaking it apart as it cooks.
- Drain excess fat if needed, then return the sausage mixture to the skillet.
Add cream:
- Reduce heat to low and pour in the heavy cream, cream cheese, and diced tomatoes if using. Stir with a spatula and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add spinach and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until wilted.
Add in cheese and pasta:
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and well combined.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss until evenly coated in the sauce.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to store this comforting dinner recipe:
Fridge: Place the leftover creamy pasta into an airtight container and put it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tips and tricks for making this creamy sausage pasta recipe:
Type of sausage:
I like to use ground sausage in this recipe since it works great with the hearty pasta instead of using mild Italian sausages that need to be chopped up, but any pork sausages, ground or links, could work in this recipe.
Use spicy sausage if you want to kick up the heat a little, or add a little red pepper flakes into the creamy sauce.
Ways to customise this perfect weeknight dinner:
I love this weeknight dinner as it is, but there are so many ways to change this easy recipe.
Want the sauce creamier? Add a little cream cheese to the sauce when cooking.
Turn it into a creamy tomato sauce by putting a can of diced tomatoes and a little tomato paste with the savory sausage pasta.
The best pasta recipes:
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Quick links for making dinner easy:
- Family meal plans
- Tools for the kitchen and more
- The best cookbook for family dinner recipes
- FREE budget meal plan
- Cooking videos to watch
If you give these recipes a try, make sure to tag us on Instagram @julia.pacheco.cooking and let us know how much you liked the recipes!
