Description
A comforting pasta dish with smoky sausage and a creamy Parmesan sauce. Quick to make, flavorful, and perfect for a satisfying family meal any day.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz pasta (penne, rotini, fettuccine, or rigatoni)
- Salt (for boiling water)
- 14 oz smoked sausage (sliced into rounds)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup milk (optional, to loosen sauce)
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon paprika (smoked paprika preferred)
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
- Optional: red pepper flakes for heat
- Optional: fresh spinach or peas
- Optional: sautéed mushrooms or bell peppers
- Optional: fresh parsley or basil for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions.
- Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook smoked sausage slices until browned and crispy, about 4–5 minutes.
- Remove sausage from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat and sauté minced garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add heavy cream and milk (if using), then stir in Parmesan cheese, paprika, and Italian seasoning.
- Simmer the sauce gently for 3–5 minutes until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Return the cooked pasta and sausage to the skillet and toss to coat evenly with the creamy sauce.
- Add reserved pasta water gradually if the sauce is too thick.
- Season with salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes to taste.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley or basil and extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
