Decadent & Easy Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta: An Elevated Weeknight Favorite

This Italian Sausage Pasta recipe transforms a humble childhood classic into a truly decadent and satisfying meal, perfect for any night of the week. What started as a simple, comforting dish in my home has been elevated with the addition of rich heavy cream, earthy mushrooms, and an abundance of savory Parmesan cheese. The result is a lush, creamy, and incredibly flavorful pasta that feels gourmet yet remains wonderfully easy to prepare.

While the mushrooms and onions are fantastic flavor boosters that add depth to the sauce, this recipe is incredibly versatile. If you have picky eaters at home, or simply prefer a more streamlined version, feel free to omit them. However, for those who appreciate the added complexity and texture, they truly make this Italian sausage pasta sing. It’s a dish that strikes the perfect balance between comfort food and an elegant dining experience.

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Essential Ingredients for Our Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta

One of the beauties of this creamy Italian sausage pasta is its reliance on readily available ingredients, allowing you to whip up a gourmet-tasting meal with minimal fuss. This is an ideal recipe for leveraging a jar of high-quality marinara sauce, especially when time is of the essence. While I often lean towards homemade everything, a good jarred marinara is a lifesaver, making it entirely possible to have this rich, satisfying meal on your dinner table in 30 minutes or even less. Selecting a robust and flavorful marinara is key here, as it forms the backbone of our luscious sauce.

The choice of pasta is entirely up to your preference, allowing for creative freedom and exploration. For this particular batch, I discovered some delightful spiral pasta at Trader Joe’s, and I always enjoy experimenting with new and interesting shapes found there. However, literally “anything goes” with this recipe, from delicate angel hair to hearty ziti, penne, rigatoni, or even orecchiette. Each pasta shape offers a different texture and way of holding onto the creamy sausage sauce, so feel free to use your favorite or whatever you have in your pantry. A sturdy pasta will stand up well to the rich, hearty sauce, ensuring every forkful is perfectly coated.

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.

Crafting Your Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta: Step-by-Step

Starting this dish correctly sets the stage for maximum flavor. Begin by browning your Italian sausage in a large, wide pan or a Dutch oven over medium heat. Break the sausage apart with a spoon as it cooks, ensuring it gets nicely crumbled and develops a rich, golden-brown crust. This browning step is crucial as it creates a layer of intense flavor, known as the Maillard reaction, which will infuse into the entire sauce. Once the sausage is lightly browned, stir in the diced mushrooms and sliced onions. Continue to cook, allowing the vegetables to soften and absorb the delicious sausage drippings, taking on a beautiful golden hue. If you’re opting out of the vegetables for a simpler, family-friendly version, simply focus on getting the sausage perfectly browned and flavorful.

Once your onions and mushrooms have developed some color and the sausage is deeply browned, it’s time to build the sauce. Pour in your jar of marinara sauce, followed by the heavy cream. This combination will create a gorgeous “blush” sauce that is both rich and vibrant. Crucially, stir in about a cup of the starchy pasta water you’ve reserved (more on this magical ingredient below). The starches in the pasta water are essential for emulsifying the sauce, creating a silky, cohesive texture that clings beautifully to every piece of pasta. Be sure to use a really generously sized pan for this step; a large Dutch oven or a wide, deep skillet is ideal to accommodate all the ingredients and ensure everything cooks evenly and merges into a truly hearty and decadent dinner.

While your sauce is simmering gently, cook your chosen pasta in a separate pot of salted boiling water according to package directions, aiming for al dente. This ensures the pasta retains a pleasant bite and won’t become mushy when combined with the sauce. Remember to reserve an extra cup of pasta water before draining! After the sauce has simmered for a few minutes, allowing the flavors to meld, add the cooked pasta directly into the sauce. Stir everything together gently, letting the pasta soak up some of that incredible flavor for about 5 minutes. Finally, turn off the heat before stirring in the grated Parmesan cheese. This prevents the cheese from clumping or burning at the bottom of the pan. As you stir in the cheese, add that final reserved cup of pasta water. This last splash of pasta water is pure magic – it will help the cheese melt smoothly into the sauce, creating an unbelievably creamy, glossy, and emulsified texture that truly elevates this Italian sausage pasta to perfection.

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📖 Recipe

Yield: 8-10 servings

Italian Sausage Pasta

Prep Time:
10 minutes

Cook Time:
25 minutes

Total Time:
35 minutes

This basic Italian Sausage Pasta from childhood gets a little glow-up. It is made more decadent with the addition of cream and mushrooms!

Ingredients

• 1 pound Pasta, any – cooked to package directions
• 1 pound Italian Sausage, casings removed
• 1, 28-ounce jar Marinara Sauce
• 8-ounces Button Mushrooms, diced
• 1 large Yellow Onion, sliced (about 1 ½-2 cups)
• 2 cups Heavy Cream
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated +more for serving
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, for serving
• Basil leaves, for serving

Instructions

Place a pot of water on the stove and cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water.

In a wide deep, 5 or 7-quart Dutch oven, over medium heat, cook the sausage, breaking it up until beginning to brown. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook with the sausage until well browned.

Add the marinara to the pan with the sausage along with the heavy cream. 

While the pasta is cooking, stir in 1 cup of the pasta water too.

Bring the meat sauce to a light simmer, then turn the heat to low.

Stir the pasta into the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.

Top with the parmesan cheese and remove from the heat. Stir everything together along with 1 more cup of pasta water.

Top the finished pasta with a little more cheese, red pepper flakes, and basil if using.

Notes

Expert Tips & Tricks for the Best Italian Sausage Pasta

Achieving the perfect creamy Italian Sausage Pasta involves a few key techniques that can dramatically improve your results:

• Timing is Everything: Before you even start cooking the sausage, put a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil for your pasta. By the time your sausage is browned, your vegetables are softened, and your sauce is simmering, your pasta will be perfectly cooked al dente and ready to be incorporated. This ensures a seamless cooking process and a hot, fresh meal.
• The Secret to Creamy Cheese: When it comes to adding the Parmesan cheese, timing is paramount. Always turn off the heat before stirring in the grated cheese. If you add it to a vigorously boiling or simmering sauce, the cheese can seize, melt unevenly, stick to the bottom of the pan, and even burn, resulting in a stringy or greasy texture. By incorporating it off the heat, along with a splash of hot pasta water, you’ll achieve the most incredibly creamy, smooth, and perfectly emulsified pasta sauce imaginable. The residual heat will be sufficient to melt the cheese beautifully.
• Embrace the Magic of Pasta Water: For years, I was skeptical about the “pasta water thing,” but it is truly a game-changer! The starchy water left over from boiling your pasta is liquid gold. It’s not just water; it’s packed with starches that act as a natural emulsifier, helping your sauce thicken and cling to the pasta, creating an unbelievably cohesive and creamy texture. Every single time you make pasta, get into the habit of reserving at least a cup or two of this starchy liquid. Not only does it help bind the sauce initially, but if your pasta ever gets a little dry after sitting for a while (as pasta often does), a splash of reserved pasta water stirred in will bring your sauce right back to life, making it silky and delicious again.
• Reheating Leftovers: The best way to revive leftover Italian sausage pasta is to warm it gently. Place the leftovers in a skillet over low to medium-low heat. Add a generous splash of water or, even better, a bit of that reserved pasta water if you have any left. Cover the skillet with a lid and let it steam gently. The added moisture will help the sauce loosen and become creamy again without drying out the pasta. If you accidentally add too much water, simply increase the heat slightly and let the sauce simmer uncovered for a few minutes until it reduces to your desired consistency.

Versatile Substitutions & Customizations

This Italian Sausage Pasta recipe is wonderfully adaptable, allowing you to tailor it to your preferences or what you have on hand:

• Sausage Options: I frequently use link Italian sausage in this recipe because it’s a staple in my kitchen. However, feel free to use 1 pound of loose bulk Italian sausage if that’s what you prefer. The beauty of Italian sausage is its variety; whether you opt for hot, sweet, or mild, each will impart a distinct and delicious flavor profile to your creamy pasta. Don’t hesitate to experiment with different spice levels to find your perfect match.
• Marinara Mastery: If you’re an avid canner or jar your own homemade marinara sauce, this recipe is the perfect opportunity to put your labor of love to excellent use. The rich, authentic flavor of homemade sauce will truly shine. If you’re feeling ambitious and want to make your own sauce from scratch for this dish, my friend has a fantastic recipe for tomato sauce that I highly recommend checking out HERE. Alternatively, enhance a good quality store-bought jarred sauce with a pinch of sugar, a fresh basil leaf, or a splash of red wine as it simmers.
• Dairy-Free Alternatives: For those following a dairy-free diet, this recipe can still be enjoyed with a few simple adjustments. You can certainly leave out the heavy cream entirely for a simpler, yet still flavorful, tomato-based sauce. Alternatively, a good quality cashew milk or even a full-fat coconut milk (for a subtle flavor twist) can be used in place of heavy cream to achieve a creamy texture. My mom never made this dish with cream, but I absolutely adore a “blush” sauce, and the cream truly makes this recipe so incredibly rich and delicious. When it comes to cheese, simply omit the Parmesan or opt for a suitable dairy-free Parmesan alternative to maintain that savory, cheesy note.
• Garnish & Spice it Up: The finished Italian sausage pasta is a fantastic canvas for additional flavors and garnishes. I love a light sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes for just a touch of welcoming heat, complemented by fresh basil leaves to round out the flavors with an aromatic lift. For a richer, more earthy herb flavor, consider fresh oregano. If you’re a true heat seeker, a few chopped Calabrian chilies will provide a much more intense and complex fiery kick. Other great additions could include a drizzle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of fresh parsley, or even a squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end to brighten the whole dish.

Recommended Products

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• OXO Good Grips 3 Piece Squeeze & Pour Silicone Measuring Cup Set
• Meat Chopper, 5 Curve Blades Ground Beef Masher, Heat Resistant Meat Masher Tool for Hamburger Meat, Ground Beef, Turkey and More, Nylon Hamburger Chopper Utensil Non-scratch Utensils
• RSVP International Olive Wood Spoon, 12″ | Rustic, Natural Authentic Italian Olive Wood | Classic Style for Kitchens, Tables, & More | Functional for Serving Vegetables, Stirring Pasta
• STAUB Braiser with Glass Lid, 3.5-Qt, Matte Black
• STAUB Cast Iron Round Cocotte, 7-quart, Burnt Orange

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 613Total Fat: 43gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 1169mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 4gSugar: 10gProtein: 22g

This is an estimated caloric value, actual numbers may differ based on the ingredients used.

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