Description
A rich and creamy sausage pasta recipe featuring perfectly cooked penne pasta tossed in a luscious heavy cream sauce with savory pork sausage, making for a quick and satisfying meal ready in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 2 tsp salt
Sausage
- 1 pound pork sausage (Jimmy Dean regular recommended)
Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- Optional: garlic or chopped green peppers
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Add 2 teaspoons of salt to a large pot filled with water and bring it to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, usually about 10-12 minutes.
- Cook the Sausage: While the pasta cooks, heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook thoroughly, breaking it apart with a spatula. Optionally, add garlic or chopped green peppers to enhance flavor.
- Prepare the Sauce: Before draining the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and transfer cooked sausage to a plate. Deglaze the hot pan with the reserved pasta water, stirring to lift any browned bits. Reduce heat to medium, pour in the heavy cream, and simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes to thicken the sauce.
- Combine and Serve: Add the drained pasta back into the pan with the cream sauce. Stir well to coat all the noodles evenly. Return the cooked sausage to the pan, mix everything together, and serve immediately while warm and creamy.
Notes
- Reserving pasta water helps create a silky sauce by adding starch to the cream base.
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter sauce, but it may be less rich.
- Adding garlic or green peppers is optional but enhances flavor complexity.
- For a spicier version, consider adding red pepper flakes during sausage cooking.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top for an extra creamy, cheesy touch.
