Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta is a family favorite Italian pasta recipe! This easy pasta dish is full of savory sausage and a delicious, creamy, parmesan sauce and ready in 20 minutes!
With back to school in full force and busy nights ahead of us, I am finding myself reaching for new quick and easy dinner inspiration. I happen to love Italian sausage because it’s so flavorful and delicious, I can use it to make a simple meal that is flavor packed in no time. There’s nothing better than having a restaurant quality pasta dish on the table in 20 minutes! Plus, everyone in my house loves a good creamy pasta dish any night of the week!
How to Make Italian Sausage Pasta:
- For this Italian Sausage Pasta, you will start by cooking your penne pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water according to package directions.
- As soon as you add your pasta to the boiling water, you will heat some olive oil in a large skillet. Then, add in your Italian sausage, minced onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Once your sausage is cooked through, you can drain any excess grease from the pan if necessary. Then, return the meat mixture to the skillet.
- Then, you will turn your heat down to low. Add the cream to the pan and bring to a simmer, and put all of the spinach in the pan. It will take about 3-5 minutes for the spinach to wilt.
- Next, drain your pasta. Add your shredded parmesan (fresh is best!) and pasta and give everything a good stir to coat.
You guys have spoken and seem to be loving these easy 20-30 minute weeknight meals as much as we do! I’m happy to say this Italian sausage pasta is one of my personal faves! If you’re looking for more simple dinners, don’t miss my Creamy Parmesan One Pot Chicken and Rice or my One Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper!
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Ground Italian Sausage
- 1 Pound Penne Pasta
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1/2 Yellow Onion Minced
- 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Cups Heavy Cream
- 5 Ounces Baby Spinach
- 1 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Cook the penne pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook the Italian sausage along with the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt until the sausage is no longer pink.
- Drain excess fat from the skillet if necessary and return the meat mixture to the pan.
- Turn the heat to low and add the cream to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and add in the spinach.
- Cook, stirring for about 3 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese until melted. Stir the pasta into the sauce.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this tonight and instead of heavy cream I used a block of cream cheese and probably 1/3 cup of milk bc it’s what I had on hand and I used mozzarella cheese instead of Parmesan because again it’s what I had on hand and it came out very yummy!
Yummy! We used Italian sausage with chopped roasted green chilies in it from our local farmer’s market… Absolutely delicious and will be making this again!
Got so excited to make this recipe but as bad luck would happen, necessity became the mother of invention.
I got out my sausage and cut it up, chopped up the onion and garlic, and sautéed it altogether. Then things went south: no cream in fridge, fresh spinach was dead, and Parmesan had mysteriously disappeared.
I used a large jar of four cheese pasta sauce, crumbled Chèvre cheese, threw in some sautéed mushrooms, and used most of a small can of spinach. I also swirled 3 tablespoons of ricotta into the sauce while heating it up.
My husband liked it and at two large helpings and I polished off a bit as well.
Long story made shorter, desperation leads to substitutions and this was still very tasty!!
This was delish and so simple to make. We had a bunch of left over sausage from a cookout. This was an easy way to use the sausage and make a yummy meal. Everyone loved it and I loved how easy it was to make.
Delicious
My sauce didn’t thicken up but very tasty. Will make again!
Great recipe – first time trying and eyed the baby cream but this came out amazing. Ate it with miracle noodle and not only was it low carb but super flavorful.
Yummy.
Keeper. My sauce was a little runny but I was not sure how long to simmer the dish.
This recipe is delicious but serves at least 6. I doubled for 5 people and had about 75% left over.
I’d give this 10 if I could. Easy, flavorful and rich. My family absolutely loved it. I did use 1/2 and 1/2 instead of heavy cream. Better than anything in any Italian restaurant.
My 15 year old daughter made this all by herself and it was amazing. Seriously a keeper.