This Creamy Tuscan Sausage Pasta Is Pure Unapologetic Comfort (And It Is So Easy)

This creamy Tuscan sausage pasta browns Italian sausage meatballs for deep flavor, builds a velvety Parmesan cream sauce with mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach, then tosses it all with al dente penne. Total time is about 35 minutes, and the whole thing comes together in just one skillet plus a pasta pot.

This creamy Tuscan sausage pasta is seriously the dish that is pure and unapologetic comfort. You know that savory and rich Italian sausage, and that velvety cream sauce that just clings to every single noodle? It is perfect.

It tastes like it came from a fancy Italian restaurant. But I promise, it is super easy to make. Honestly, I think it is about to become one of your absolute favorites.

Why You Will Love This Creamy Tuscan Sausage Pasta Recipe

• It Is a Hug in a Bowl: The savory sausage, the luscious cream sauce, and the sweet tang of sun dried tomatoes just go so well together. It is the ultimate cozy comfort food.
• Restaurant Quality at Home: You are getting layers of deep and rich flavor without spending all day in the kitchen.
• Simple and Quality Ingredients: We are relying on simple basics to do all the heavy lifting, proving you do not need a million ingredients to make something amazing.

If this cream sauce hits the spot, my Creamy Tuscan Chicken uses that same rich, sun-dried-tomato-and-Parmesan base with chicken instead of sausage, perfect for keeping things fresh in your weekly rotation.

What You Will Need

Special Equipment

• Large pot (for boiling pasta)
• Large skillet or Dutch oven
• Slotted spoon
• Spatula or wooden spoon
• Cheese grater

The Ingredients

• 1/2 lb (225g) ground mild Italian sausage
• 8 oz (225g) penne pasta (or other high quality short pasta)
• Water (for boiling)
• 1 tbsp (15g) kosher salt (for pasta water)
• 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil
• 1 tbsp (14g) butter
• 8 oz (225g) mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup (50g) oil packed sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup (120ml) chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese (from a block)
• 2 to 3 handfuls (about 2 cups or 60g) baby spinach
• Cracked black pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste

Let Us Get Cooking

1. The Magic Is in the Ingredients

The magic of this Tuscan style pasta is all in the simple but really high quality ingredients. The two most important, seriously, are the Italian sausage and the pasta.

You will want about half a pound of ground Italian sausage for this recipe, and you are just going to roll it into cute little bite sized balls. Use a mild sausage because you want those rich and savory herbs like fennel and garlic to shine through.

I picked penne. I just love how those thick and ridged tubes grab the sauce. Every nook and cranny gets filled with creamy goodness. Any short pasta will work just as well, but do try and get a better quality than just the cheapest pasta you can get at the store. There is a real flavor and texture difference, you know?

2. Salting Your Pasta Water, It Matters

Grab a large pot and fill it with water. Bring it to a rolling boil over high heat, then add about a tablespoon of salt. When you boil your pasta, you want to add some salt. You want your pasta water to be as salty as the sea. This is your one chance to season your pasta from the inside out, and it makes a huge difference. Drop in your penne and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until it is just al dente, meaning it still has a slight bite.

If you love that same approach to a perfectly cooked pasta base, my Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta follows the same salting and timing method for a completely different but equally quick weeknight dinner.

3. Save the Water and Drain

And before you drain it, remember to save some of that starchy pasta water. Right before draining the pasta, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta and set aside. This is going to be our secret weapon for perfecting the sauce later.

4. Browning the Sausage Meatballs

While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add a little bit of olive oil, then add the sausage meatballs. You do not want to just cook the sausage through. You want to get some real color on those meatballs. Roll them around to make sure all sides get cooked, brown, and a little crispy around the edges. That browning creates layers of deep and savory flavor.

5. Set Sausage Aside

Once they are ready, use a slotted spoon to move the meatballs to a plate, but leave all that rendered fat in the pan. Seriously, do not wipe it clean. All those brown bits are pure flavor, and that is going to be the foundation for an amazing sauce.

6. Saute Mushrooms and Garlic

Drop the butter into the skillet, then toss in the sliced mushrooms. Let them cook over medium heat for a few minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and push it around the pan for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not let it burn.

7. Build the Sauce

Stir in the chopped sun dried tomatoes, chicken broth, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, and heavy cream. As the liquid heats up, use your spatula to scrape off all the delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the broth simmer gently until the liquid reduces by about half.

8. A Quick Word on Cheese

When talking about high quality ingredients, cheese is going to be at the top of the list. It is pretty important to use freshly grated Parmesan that you grate yourself from a block. The pre shredded stuff has additives that do not allow it to melt nice and smooth. Grating it yourself is always the best way to go.

If you are worried about the cost, a block of Parmesan can seem expensive, but you are definitely going to get your money’s worth. Per ounce, it is actually half the price of pre shredded cheese.

9. The Secret to a Silky Smooth Sauce

When it is time to add your freshly grated Parmesan to the reduced broth and cream, this is important. Turn off the heat completely. This will keep your sauce from getting grainy. Slowly stir in your freshly grated Parmesan cheese until it is fully melted and the sauce is perfectly smooth and velvety.

10. Bring It All Together

Add the sausage meatballs back into the skillet along with a few handfuls of baby spinach. Trust the process, it will wilt down into lovely green ribbons. Stir gently until the spinach wilts down into ribbons, which takes about 1 to 2 minutes. At this point, confirm the sausage is fully cooked through with no pink remaining in the center before moving on.

11. Toss the Pasta

Add the cooked penne into the skillet and toss everything together gently so every noodle is coated. If the sauce is too thick, just drizzle in a splash of your reserved pasta water and stir. The starch is going to help our sauce be super creamy and cling well to every single noodle. Taste the pasta and add salt and cracked black pepper if needed. Give it one last stir and serve immediately.

What to Serve With This

• A simple side salad with a light vinaigrette balances out the richness
• Warm, crusty bread is perfect for scooping up extra sauce
• Pair it with my Marry Me Chicken Pasta on a different night for another creamy, restaurant-style dinner in your rotation

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Creamy Tuscan Sausage Pasta

Recipe by Sana Rei

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Main CourseCuisine: Italian, AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

650

kcal

Total time

35

minutes

The ultimate cozy comfort. Savory Italian sausage meatballs, sun-dried tomatoes, and penne tossed in a velvety, perfectly clinging Parmesan cream sauce.

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed:

• Large pot

• Large skillet or Dutch oven

• Slotted spoon

• Spatula

• Cheese grater

• Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb (225g) ground mild Italian sausage

• 8 oz (225g) penne pasta

• Water, for boiling

• 1 tbsp (15g) kosher salt, for pasta water

• 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil

• 1 tbsp (14g) butter

• 8 oz (225g) mushrooms, sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/3 cup (50g) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

• 1/2 cup (120ml) chicken broth

• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

• 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream

• 1/2 cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 cups (60g) baby spinach

• Cracked black pepper and additional salt, to taste

Directions

• Roll the ground mild Italian sausage into small meatballs.
• Fill a large pot with water and bring to a rolling boil. Add kosher salt until it’s as salty as the sea. Drop the penne and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water, then drain the penne and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage meatballs and cook until browned and slightly crispy on the edges.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meatballs to a plate. Leave the rendered fat and brown bits in the skillet.
• Add the butter and sliced mushrooms to the skillet. Cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.
• Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, chicken broth, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, and heavy cream.
• Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan as the liquid heats. Simmer gently until the sauce reduces by half.
• Turn the heat completely off. Slowly stir in the freshly grated Parmesan until melted and smooth.
• Add the sausage meatballs and baby spinach back into the sauce. Stir gently until the spinach wilts and confirm the sausage is fully cooked through with no pink remaining.
• Add the drained pasta and toss. If the sauce is too thick, drizzle in the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired creamy consistency. Taste, season with salt and cracked black pepper, and serve warm.

Notes

• Cheese Matters: Seriously, don’t use pre-shredded Parmesan. Grating a block of cheese yourself ensures your sauce will be silky smooth instead of grainy. Plus, it’s cheaper per ounce.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes: I prefer the oil-packed tomatoes in a jar. Just drain them and chop. If you are using dry-packed tomatoes, be sure to hydrate them in warm water for about 15 to 20 minutes before chopping.
• Keep the Flavor: Do not wipe the pan out after browning your sausage. All those little brown bits on the bottom of the pan are pure flavor and are the foundation of this incredible sauce.
• Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat with a tiny splash of water or milk to loosen up the cream sauce.
• Doneness Check: Confirm the sausage meatballs are fully cooked, no pink remaining, before serving. An instant-read thermometer should read 160°F.
• Allergen Note: Contains dairy (cream, Parmesan, butter), gluten (pasta), and pork (sausage).