Name: Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy, casings removed); 1 pound rigatoni pasta (or penne); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; ½ cup chicken broth; 15 ounces diced tomatoes (undrained); ½ cup heavy cream; ½ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated, plus more to garnish); ½-1 cup reserved pasta water (or as needed); Fresh basil (optional garnish)

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This Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta is the ultimate comfort food in a bowl. It’s easy, can be made in 30 minutes with just a handful of ingredients, and is super creamy, decadent, and flavorful. It’s become a huge hit with the whole family!

Close up of a bowl of Italian sausage pasta

If you’re in need of a new recipe to add to your regular dinner rotation that makes the whole family happy (including the cook!), this creamy Italian sausage pasta recipe is for you. Pasta dishes have long been my go-to when I need a filling, flavorful dinner fast, and there are several that we rotate through on a regular basis, like creamy shrimp pasta, lemon chicken pasta, and Philly cheesesteak pasta.

This Italian sausage pasta is now firmly at the top of the list of “most requested pasta dishes”. The Italian sausage starts it off with some heat and flavor, then tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and broth are added for that savory tomato-y base. It’s all finished with a bit of heavy cream and parmesan cheese to add some creaminess and mellow out the tomato and heat. We usually make it with mild sausage but if your family loves spicy things, spicy Italian sausage really takes the heat up a notch. It’s so easy to make and so good!

Why This Italian Sausage Pasta Recipe Is A Family Favorite

Ready in 30 minutes. This pasta recipe is perfect for those nights when everyone is hungry and nothing is ready to eat, because it comes together in just 30 minutes. It takes about the same amount of time to cook the pasta as it does to brown the sausage and start the sauce. By the time the pasta is done, the sauce is ready for the pasta and finishing touches.
Creamy tomato sauce. My family loves the combination of a creamy sauce and a tomato sauce, so this one is perfect for them. The sauce base is tomato paste and diced tomatoes, but heavy cream and parmesan at the end really bring in that creaminess and balance the tomato flavor.
Lots of flavor. One complaint I hear about some creamy pasta dishes is that there just isn’t much flavor. Not so with this Italian sausage pasta! The Italian sausage itself brings a TON of flavor to the dish. And you can customize the flavor of the dish by the type of sausage used. We use mild to keep everyone happy but spicy sausage is great, too.

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make Italian sausage pasta

Key Ingredients

Here’s an overview of the main ingredients needed to make this pasta dish. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

Italian sausage – If you want a leaner option, ground turkey or chicken sausage works well, though you may need to add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to the pan before browning. I used a mild Italian sausage, but you can make the pasta spicier by using spicy Italian sausage.
Rigatoni – Any ridged small to medium sized pasta will work for this recipe. Just make sure to follow the package instructions while cooking and don’t overcook the pasta. You want it just barely al dente.
Garlic – Use freshly minced garlic if possible.
Tomato paste – Adds a richer umami tomato flavor to the sauce.
Chicken broth – Thins the sauce while maintaining a savory flavor.
Diced tomatoes – Do not drain them, as the liquid is needed to make the sauce.
Heavy cream – Adds the creaminess to the sauce. Half-and-half could potentially work but won’t be as rich and creamy.
Parmesan – Parmesan cheese is a salty cheese, so you may not need to add salt into your pasta at all. Make sure to taste it first before adding any in.

How To Make Italian Sausage Pasta

This pasta recipe comes together so quickly because the pasta and the sausage can be cooked at the same time. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Browned Italian sausage and garlic in a pan

Diced tomatoes added to Italian sausage in a pan

Make the pasta. Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions. Be sure to cook just to al dente. Be sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Cook the sausage. At the same time, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, until it’s browned with no pink remaining. Use a wooden spoon to break it into crumbles as it cooks. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the tomato sauce ingredients. Stir in the tomato paste and thyme. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until it turns a deep brick red. Pour in the broth and tomatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Pasta, cream, and parmesan added to the sausage and tomato sauce

Overhead view of a pan of creamy Italian sausage pasta

Add the pasta and cream. Add the cooked pasta, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese to the sauce. Add a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to help the sauce coat the noodles. Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium-low until everything is hot. Add more pasta water if needed.
Enjoy. Garnish with fresh basil and more parmesan before serving.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Here are a few tips for making the creamiest, most flavorful Italian sausage pasta.

Heavily salt the pasta water. This is your only chance to season the actual noodle, which provides the base layer of flavor for the whole dish.
Cook the pasta to al dente. Cooking the pasta beyond al dente will result in mushy pasta as it will continue to cook in the sauce a bit.
Don’t skip reserving the pasta water. The starches in the pasta water acts as a natural thickener and binder. It is the difference between a sauce that slides off the noodle and one that clings to it.
Cook the tomato paste. If your tomato paste stays bright red, it hasn’t cooked long enough. You want it to darken and smell slightly sweet to remove the raw, metallic taste from the can.
Do not boil the sauce. Once the heavy cream and parmesan are added, keep the heat to medium-low and just below a simmer. Boiling or simply too much heat can cause the dairy to separate in the sauce.
Add some spinach. To add some greens to your pasta, stir in 2 cups of fresh baby spinach at the very end.

Serving Suggestions

This creamy Italian sausage pasta can easily be served on its own, especially if you stir some spinach in at the end. If I don’t add spinach (or sometimes if I do), I’ll start the meal with my Olive Garden side salad or serve some steamed broccoli on the side, just to balance out the decadence of the creamy sauce.

And, of course, some cheesy garlic bread or Olive Garden breadsticks are a great idea to soak up every bite of sauce.

Overhead view of a bowl of Italian sausage pasta

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