Description
This classic Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta delivers robust Mediterranean flavors with hearty ingredients. Rich tomato sauce and al dente noodles create a satisfying meal you’ll savor to the last delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
- 8 oz (225 g) uncooked penne pasta
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120 ml) chicken broth or dry white wine
- ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 (14.5 oz/410 g) can diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Fresh basil leaves, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Boil salted water in a large pot, cook penne until al dente, then drain while reserving some pasta water.
- Sausage Searing: Heat olive oil in a wide skillet, crumble Italian sausage, and cook until perfectly browned and completely done, breaking into small pieces.
- Aromatic Foundation: Add onions to sausage, sauté until soft and translucent, then introduce minced garlic, allowing its fragrance to bloom briefly.
- Flavor Intensification: Deglaze pan with chicken broth, scraping up caramelized bits, reducing liquid to concentrate flavors and create a rich base.
- Sauce Development: Incorporate diced tomatoes, heavy cream, dried basil, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Simmer gently, allowing ingredients to meld and sauce to thicken naturally.
- Final Assembly: Fold cooked penne into the sauce, ensuring complete coating, then integrate Parmesan cheese until smoothly melted and evenly distributed.
- Serving Presentation: Remove from heat, garnish with fresh basil leaves and optional Parmesan cheese, serving immediately while steaming hot.
Notes
- Customize Sausage Intensity: Choose mild or hot Italian sausage based on personal spice tolerance, allowing flexible heat levels for different palate preferences.
- Prevent Pasta Overcooking: Monitor pasta closely during boiling, removing it just before complete tenderness to ensure al dente texture that maintains perfect bite and prevents mushiness.
- Maximize Flavor Development: Allow sausage to brown deeply before adding other ingredients, creating caramelized edges that enhance overall dish complexity and depth of taste.
- Cream Sauce Stabilization: Reduce heat when adding cream to prevent separation, stirring continuously to maintain smooth, silky sauce consistency without curdling.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg