The Cozy Cook

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Creamy Sausage Pasta

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!

Be sure to try my Italian Sausage Pasta recipe next! 

A white plate with creamy sausage pasta with roasted red peppers and rigatoni.

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. 

A skillet with cooked sausage next to a skillet with tomato paste, wine, and chicken broth to make pasta sauce.

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.

Adding cream, cream cheese, and roasted red peppers to a saucepan for creamy sausage pasta.

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.

Adding sausage to a skillet with a cream sauce.

Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine. Garnish with parsley and red pepper flakes and serve.

Adding rigatoni to creamy sausage sauce and stirring to combine.

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. 

A close up view of rigatoni noodles in a Creamy Sausage Pasta with red peppers and spinach.

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 🙂 
  • 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.
  • Spice Rack-This is the one I have, it’s a snap to measure out your seasonings quickly and easily. (Big time saver.)

Try These Next

 

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A plate with Creamy Sausage Pasta with Rigatoni.

Creamy Sausage Pasta

4.98 from 95 ratings
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!

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

Pro Tips:
  • 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. 

Nutrition

Calories: 685kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 49g, Saturated Fat: 24g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 18g, Cholesterol: 141mg, Sodium: 1456mg, Potassium: 519mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 1857IU, Vitamin C: 23mg, Calcium: 249mg, Iron: 2mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!

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209 comments on “Creamy Sausage Pasta”

  1. Made this last week it was amazing the whole family raved about it. I used my herbs I dried from my garden to season it. 

  2. I haome Italian sausage and found this recipe. I had to make some substitutions becausenI did not have roasted peppers. I stead I used two chopped tomatoes and several chopped pepperoni peppers. I added about 1/4 t pepper flakes. It came out great!

  3. This was the best recipe! I followed the recipe and it turned out perfectly! Thank you!

  4. Delicious easy meal. I made it today for lunch and received raves. Comfort food on a cool autumn day  

  5. So excited to try this recipe tonight! I have a silly question – If I use a whole box of pasta (1lb) should I double the sauce? Thanks!!

  6. Delicious! I used GF pasta and chard (I didn’t have Spinach). So yummy! And Mr family all loved!!! Thx!

  7. I just made this. Hands down it’s the BEST pasta dish I’ve ever had. So full of flavor. I’m Italian and have been making Sunday Sauce from scratch for many years. This recipe rivals that. I cannot believe I just said that but it is true. Thank you for sharing your joy of cooking with us. You are the Queen of the kitchen:))

  8. Made this for family tonight.  Everyone was saying how delicious this dish is.  A keeper!

  9. Beyond delicious! Such a cozy comfort meal. I love how creamy the sauce is! 

  10. Fantastic recipe!! I used olive oil instead of water. It turned out wonderful!

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