This Creamy Sausage Pasta recipe has a cream cheese and Parmesan blend with roasted red peppers, sweet or spicy Italian sausage, spinach, and your choice of pasta!
Creamy Sausage Pasta
The flavors in this recipe are incredible! It’s got sweet or spicy sausage, roasted red peppers, spinach, and the most flavorful garlic Parmesan cream sauce.
A white wine reduction adds even more flavor, along with a hint of tomato paste that’s offset with softened cream cheese that’s melted into the sauce. (And the seasonings are incredible.)
You can get as creative with the ingredients as you want! Use any kind of pasta, sun dried or diced tomatoes instead of roasted red peppers, kale instead of spinach, Asiago instead of Parmesan, chicken broth instead of wine, (I could go on for days). OR, keep it all as-is and get ready for an amazing meal!
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Sauté the sausage until browned and cooked through. Set aside. Deglaze the pan with white wine and use a silicone spatula to ‘clean’ the bottom of the pan. Add tomato paste and garlic. Reduce by half, about 4 minutes. Add chicken broth and seasonings.
Stir in the heavy cream. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Add the roasted red peppers and stir in the softened cream cheese until combined.
Let it bubble gently and reduce while you cook the pasta to al dente. Reduce sauce to low heat and gradually stir in the Parmesan cheese until combined. Add the spinach and the sausage along with any juices from the plate.
Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine. Garnish with parsley and red pepper flakes and serve.
Pro Tips
- I used Premio Sweet Italian Sausage for this recipe, Ground sausage can also be used if preferred.
- Diced tomatoes or Sun Dried Tomatoes can be used instead of roasted red peppers.
- Kale can also be used instead of spinach, add it to the sauce when the pasta is about halfway cooked through, it will need longer to heat through.
- I used Colavita Rigatoni for this recipe, but any kind of pasta can be used in this recipe.
- Chicken broth can be used instead of wine if needed.
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 151!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- This is the Le Creuset skillet I used in this recipe, (and in 90% of my recipes). It’s pricey, but it conducts heat really well and is oven safe. The size is perfect and the quality is great.
- Pasta Strainer– This is the one I have and love.
- Box Cheese Grater– Always shred cheese from a block, it melts and tastes much better. Bagged shredded cheese contains cellulose which prevents it from melting as well.
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Creamy Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Italian sausage, hot or sweet
- ½ cup dry white wine, See notes
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 7 oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained, Equal to about 1 cup.
- 1 ½ cups spinach
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- ½ lb. rigatoni
- Fresh parsley, to garnish
- Red pepper flakes, to garnish
Instructions
Prep Work:
- Combine the chicken broth, mustard powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning and set aside.
- Measure out additional ingredients before beginning.
Instructions:
- Cut the sausage into 1/2-inch thick slices. Heat 6 tablespoons water over medium heat in a large, high-walled skillet. Add the sausage. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove lid and increase heat slightly, cook until browned, 5-7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Carefully drain excess grease from pan but leave brown remnants. Add the white wine, tomato paste, and garlic to the pan and set to medium heat. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom of the pot. Let it bubble gently until reduced by half, about 4 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth and seasonings. Stir in the heavy cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the roasted red peppers and stir in the softened cream cheese.
- Let the sauce bubble gently while you boil the pasta to al dente. Don’t overcook. Drain once cooked.
- Reduce sauce heat to low. Gradually sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese, stirring continuously to incorporate. Add the spinach and the sausage along with any juices from the plate. Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes and serve.
Notes
- Wine: Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay are great in this recipe. Chicken broth can be used instead of wine if needed.
- I use Premio Sweet Italian Sausage links in this recipe. Spicy sausage links or ground sausage can also be used if preferred.
- Diced tomatoes or sun dried tomatoes can be used instead of roasted red peppers.
- Kale can also be used instead of spinach, add it to the sauce when the pasta is about halfway cooked through, it will need longer to heat through.
- I used Colavita Rigatoni for this recipe, but any kind of pasta can be used in this recipe.
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 151!
Storage:
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Stephanie, this recipe was AWESOME. Made no adjustments, except for using fresh red peppers and roasting them myself. Your recipe is spot on!! My boyfriend exact words were “we never have to go to a Italian restaurant ever again”. Please keep posting new recipes, I love your page! ❤️
I love that your boyfriend said that Alanna, wahooo! Isn’t that the best!? I’m so happy it was such a success, thanks so much for the great comments and review!💖
Really liked it! Only thing I did differently was add a lot more spinach and more noodles. Will definitely make again!
I’m really happy you enjoyed it Damian, thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Excellent. Very delicious. I ended up using a tube of hot breakfast sausage since that’s what I had in the house. Browned it but left it in medium sized chunks. I’d also like to add that I just bought your cookbook and am madly in love with it. I collect cookbooks and own over 3000. This book will be in my top 5 favorites. Thanks for the great recipes.
Hey Vicki!! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the sausage pasta!!! I’m even HAPPIER that you love the cookbook and that with so many books, it’s in your top FIVE! You made my week!!! Thank you soooo much for your kind words and for your support, you are the absolute BEST! 🙂 -Stephanie ❤️
Third time making this pasta since Easter! Love it!
I’m sooo happy to hear that Kelly! This is a big favorite of mine as well! Thank you so much for the review! 🙂 -Stephanie
This pasta was delicious! I will be saving this and making it again.
Excellent, that makes me so happy Emily! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!💖
Followed exact recipe, simply delicious and flavorful!
That makes me so happy Cindy! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!😃
Delicious! My children and husband call this “again pasta”. It was so delicious that they want it again and again so they decided to name it that! Too funny. We love this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
I love that name! I’m so happy it was such a hit with the family, thanks so much for the great comments and for taking the time to leave a review Vandelay!💖
So simple and taste amazing!
Wahooo! That’s so great to hear Maria, thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!💖
Made tonight for dinner. Amazing dish & super simple to make! Husband gave it a 10/10. Already looking forward to making again!
Yayyy! I’m so happy it was such a hit Brittany, thanks so much for the great review!💗
I made this last night. OMG, it was AMAZING!! Its a keeper for sure!
That’s so great to hear Debbie, wahooo! Thanks so much for the great comments and review!💖
I’m making this for the 3rd time-my family loves it!
I’m so happy the family is enjoying it Donna! I love serving this one to dinner guests. Thanks so much for the great comments and for taking the time to leave a review!💖