Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta
This Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta is an easy Italian pasta recipe made with Italian sausage, mushrooms, cream cheese, and Parmesan. It comes together in about 40 minutes and makes a rich, creamy and comforting dinner the whole family will enjoy.
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet
- 1 Large pasta pot
- 1 Knife
- 1 cutting board
- 1 wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 14 pz mixed mushrooms, sliced
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1.1 lb gemelli pasta
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for serving
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the mushrooms. Clean the mushrooms well and slice them. If using fresh porcini, gently brush away any dirt before slicing.
- Cook the mushrooms. While the sausage cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet along with the halved garlic clove. Sauté over high heat for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, then remove the garlic clove.
- Add the cream cheese. Turn off the heat and add the cream cheese to the skillet with the sausage and mushrooms. Cover the skillet and let it sit for a few minutes. The residual heat and steam will soften the cream cheese.
- Cook the pasta. Cook the gemelli in the boiling salted water until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain well. Do not reserve or add pasta water.
- Combine everything. Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Return the skillet to medium heat and toss everything together with a wooden spoon until the cream cheese has completely melted and coats the pasta.
- Serve. Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
Mushrooms: You can use a combination of mushrooms such as white button, cremini, baby bella, portobello, or porcini. A mixed mushroom blend gives the pasta even more flavor.
Cream cheese: Cream cheese is what I use to make this pasta creamy. Add it to the skillet with the heat turned off, then cover the pan for a few minutes. The residual heat and steam will soften the cream cheese so it can easily melt into the sausage and mushrooms.
Do not add pasta water: Unlike many creamy pasta recipes, this recipe does not need pasta water. The cream cheese melts into the hot pasta and sauce on its own. Adding pasta water can make the sauce thinner rather than creamier.
Heavy cream substitution: If you prefer, you can substitute heavy cream for the cream cheese. Add the heavy cream to the sausage and mushrooms and let it cook for a few minutes until it reduces slightly and becomes creamy before adding the pasta.
Pasta: I use gemelli because its twisted shape holds onto the creamy sauce beautifully. You can substitute another short pasta if needed. If you want to learn more about the different types of Italian pasta and how to choose the right shape for your sauce, see my Italian Pasta Guide.
Optional topping: Crispy bacon or pancetta can be added on top before serving for extra flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 80g | Calories: 1059kcal | Carbohydrates: 98g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 1016mg | Potassium: 671mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 762IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 3mg
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!