This Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta is a simple yet indulgent dish you’ll find yourself craving time and again. In just 40 minutes, you'll create a rich, velvety sauce packed with savory Italian sausage, perfectly paired with al dente rigatoni. The combination of bold flavors and hearty pasta makes this recipe a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
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I'm biased, but nothing says comfort meal like a creamy pasta dish. This Italian sausage and pasta recipe is made with simple ingredients and is one of my favorite recipes to make on busy weeknights. It’s quick but has a rich, savory flavor in each bite.
If you like pasta as much as I do, you have to try some more of my favorites like No-Boil Pasta Bake, Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta, or my all-time favorite Spicy Rigatoni with Ground Pork.
Ingredients
- Rigatoni pasta. I used rigatoni for this recipe but you can also use fusilli, penne, or a gluten-free option if desired.
- Italian sausage. You can use either spicy or mild Italian sausage. I usually opt for turkey sausage, but pork is also great.
- Garlic cloves. Always use fresh garlic cloves over garlic powder.
- Calabrian chili paste. This chili paste is from the Calabria region of southern Italy and is known for its smoky and fruity spice. You can use red pepper flakes if you can’t find the paste.
- Tomato paste. Tomato paste brings a rich concentrated tomato flavor to the base of the sauce.
- Full-fat coconut milk. Coconut milk is a non-dairy milk used for the creamy tomato sauce. Use heavy cream if you prefer it.
- Parmesan cheese. I always use fresh grated parmesan reggiano. Use your favorite parmesan.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
Boil water in a large pot and cook pasta al dente according to package instructions.
Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
Step 2: Add the sausage to the pan , crumble and cook for about 5 minutes until browned.
Step 3: Add in the garlic, chili paste, and tomato paste, and stir for 1-2 minutes.
Step 4: Pour the can of diced tomatoes into the sausage mixture, turn to low heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Pour in the milk or cream, stir, and cook for another 2 minutes.
Step 6: Turn the heat off and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!
Sarah's Top Tips
- You can change the spice level by adding more Calabrian chili paste or topping the pasta with red pepper flakes.
- You always want to cook pasta to al dente so there’s a little bite and the pasta doesn’t fall apart.
- Reserve some pasta water to thin out your sauce if needed.
- I like to buy the tubes because they last longer in the fridge. If you buy canned tomato paste, you can transfer leftovers to a different container for storage.
Serving
I love serving Italian sausage pasta with a warm baguette or dinner rolls. For some added vegetables serve the pasta over a bed of arugula or pair it with a classic caesar or leafy side salad. Sprinkle fresh basil, freshly grated parmesan, and some extra red pepper flakes on top.
Storage & Reheating
Store this creamy sausage sauce in an airtight container for 3-4 days. If making a large batch, place it in a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can store already-made pasta in the fridge for 3-5 days but I recommend making it fresh each time.
More Pasta Recipes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below—I’d love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
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Italian Sausage Pasta
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon calabrian chili paste, optional
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- ⅓ cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil, for serving
- Grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Boil water in a large pot and cook pasta according to package directions.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the sausage to the pan and crumble while browning, for about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, calabrian chili paste (if using) and tomato paste. Stir and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes, turn the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Pour in the heavy cream or coconut milk, stir and cook for 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, season with salt and black pepper to taste and toss with the pasta. Serve with basil and parmesan cheese.
Sarah's Tips
- You can change the spice level by adding more Calabrian chili paste or topping the pasta with red pepper flakes.
- You always want to cook pasta to al dente so there’s a little bite and the pasta doesn’t fall apart.
- Reserve some pasta water to thin out your sauce if needed.
- I like to buy the tubes because they last longer in the fridge. If you buy canned tomato paste, you can transfer leftovers to a different container for storage.
- Store this creamy sausage sauce in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- If making a large batch, place it in a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can store already-made pasta in the fridge for 3-5 days but I recommend making it fresh each time.
KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED
- Saucepan
- Large Skillet
Sue P says
I made this last week and it was a big hit! So easy. I LOVE spinach so when I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it. I used heavy cream because I had it in fridge, needed to use it & this was a perfect use. This was great as a reheat meal and got rave reviews from those who ate it as a lunch, and/or as a dinner. There was nothing left. I would make this again in a second.