Easy Creamy Sausage Pasta with Cheese
A comforting, family-friendly pasta dish made with tender noodles, Italian-style sausage, and a rich, cheesy cream sauce. This easy weeknight recipe uses simple ingredients and delivers big, cozy flavor in every bite.
Equipment
- large pot for cooking pasta
- large skillet
- wooden spoon or spatula
- measuring cups and spoons
- colander for draining pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta (rigatoni, penne, or rotini)
- 14 oz Italian-style chicken or turkey sausage, sliced or crumbled
- 1 tbsp olive oil (if needed)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 5–6 minutes until browned and fully cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Stir in the heavy cream and Italian seasoning and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Lower the heat and stir in the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the Parmesan cheese a little at a time, stirring constantly.
- Return the sausage to the skillet and add the cooked pasta. Toss until well coated, using reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if desired. Garnish with parsley or extra Parmesan and serve warm.
Notes
Soften the cream cheese before adding it to prevent lumps. Keep the heat low once the cheese is added to avoid curdling. Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency, and use freshly grated Parmesan for the smoothest, most flavorful sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 600kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 27gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 760mgPotassium: 420mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 900IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 260mgIron: 2.4mg
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