Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta

Creamy Italian sausage pasta is one of those comforting meals that brings me back to the kind of simple cooking I love most. Tender rigatoni, savory Italian sausage, sun dried tomatoes, and spinach simmer in a parmesan cream sauce that feels rich and cozy yet still incredibly easy. It’s the kind of one skillet dish that makes an ordinary night feel a little more special.

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The part that always gets me about this pasta dish is the way everything settles into that bubbling skillet right before serving. The rigatoni gets wrapped in the creamy sauce, the sausage adds its savory richness, and the sun-dried tomatoes bring bright, tangy pops of flavor that keep each bite interesting. Once the spinach softens into the mix, the whole kitchen smells irresistible. It’s the kind of Italian sausage pasta creamy comfort food that make weeknight meals a treat.

If you can’t get enough of creamy, comforting pasta recipes, my Crack Chicken Penne, or Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta are just as satisfying and perfect for weeknight cravings.

Ingredients Notes

• Pasta: I prefer to use rigatoni pasta, but any short pasta like rotini, fusilli, or penne pasta works perfectly.
• Olive oil: I don’t think you can ever go wrong with a high-quality olive oil, but you can swap in a tablespoon of the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar for extra flavor.
• Mild Italian sausage: I typically with go with a mild sauage, but if you want a little kick you can use a hot sausage. For a leaner option, you can substitute ground turkey.
• Yellow onion
• Seasoning: I use a selection of key seasonings that are going to really bring out the flavors. I love to include garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.
• Unsalted butter: Bring the butter to room temperature before making the roux.
• All-purpose flour – I use a little flour to help thicken the sauce.
• Chicken broth – I always have a box of chicken broth on hand.
• Heavy cream – I use almost 2 cups of cream. Go for the real stuff here. I think it makes all of the difference.
• Sun dried tomatoes packed in herbed olive oil – I typically find this in the pasta aisle, near the canned tomatoes or in the specialty section of the grocery store.
• Parmesan cheese: I think freshly shredded melts best, but pre-shredded works in a pinch.
• Baby spinach: Kale can be swapped in, but it will need a few extra minutes to soften.
• Optional garnish: Fresh parsley

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta

1. Cook the pasta: Boil rigatoni in a large pot of salted water until al dente, then drain and set aside.
2. Brown the sausage: Heat olive oil in a large skillet, add sausage, onion, garlic, and seasonings, and cook until golden and fragrant. If there’s excess grease, transfer the sausage to a plate briefly and discard the extra oil.
   
3. Make the roux: Lower the heat, melt butter, whisk in flour, and cook just until lightly golden.
4. Build the sauce: Slowly whisk in chicken broth, heavy cream, and sun dried tomatoes. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
   
5. Finish the sauce: Stir in parmesan cheese until melted, then add spinach and cook just until wilted.
   
6. Combine and serve: Return the pasta and sausage to the pan, toss to coat in the creamy sauce, remove from heat, and sprinkle with fresh parsley to serve.
   

Make Ahead & Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Reheat: Gently warm in a skillet over low to medium-low heat. Add a splash of chicken broth if the sauce has thickened.
• Freeze: Cream-based sauces don’t freeze well, so this dish is best enjoyed fresh.
• Make ahead: You can prep this a few hours ahead of time. Keep the sauce a bit loose and reheat slowly with a little extra broth just before serving.

More Easy Pasta Dinner Ideas

• One-Pot Creamy Italian Chicken Pasta: Tender chicken and pasta cooked together in a creamy sauce for a simple weeknight favorite.
• Creamy Chicken Orzo: A cheesy, one skillet dinner with a touch of cream cheese that melts into every bite, making it extra rich and comforting.
• Creamy Pasta Salad: A chilled creamy pasta dish that’s perfect for picnics, potlucks, or lighter meals.
• Crab Pasta Salad: A flavorful creamy pasta salad with seafood twists, ideal for summer gatherings.
• Creamy Bacon Pasta: Smoky bacon and creamy spaghetti make a rich and indulgent dinner everyone will love.

5 from 1 vote

Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta

Author — Jennifer Fishkind

Serves — 4

This Italian sausage creamy pasta is a cozy, one skillet dinner with tender rigatoni, flavorful sausage, sun dried tomatoes, and spinach all coated in a rich, velvety parmesan cream sauce. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

 

• ▢ ¾ pound rigatoni pasta
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ ½ pound mild Italian sausage
• ▢ ¾ cup small diced yellow onion
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt plus additional for cooking pasta
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup chicken broth
• ▢ 1¾ cups heavy cream
• ▢ ¾ cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes packed in herbed olive oil, oil drained from an 8.5-ounce jar
• ▢ 1½ cups shredded parmesan cheese
• ▢ 3 cups lightly packed baby spinach from a 5-ounce container

Optional Garnish

• ▢ Chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

 

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the rigatoni pasta for 9-11 minutes until al dente or according to package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, proceed with the rest of the recipe.
  ¾ pound rigatoni pasta
• Preheat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, sausage, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to the skillet.
  1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ pound mild Italian sausage, ¾ cup small diced yellow onion, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning blend, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Cook for 9-11 minutes or until the sausage is golden brown and the onions and spices are soft and fragrant.
• Transfer the cooked sausage to a paper towel lined plate to allow any excess grease to drain and set aside. Discard the paper towel before returning the sausage to the skillet.
• Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the unsalted butter. Once the butter has melted, add the all-purpose flour and whisk to combine until all the flour has been absorbed by the butter. Cook the flour mixture for 1 minute or just until light golden brown.
  2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until no lumps of flour remain. Whisk in the heavy cream and sun-dried tomatoes. Bring to a low boil then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, until reduced by about half and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Be sure to whisk often to ensure the sauce does not clump or burn.
  1 cup chicken broth, 1¾ cups heavy cream, ¾ cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes
• Slowly stir in the parmesan cheese until fully incorporated then stir in the baby spinach until the leaves are fully wilted.
  1½ cups shredded parmesan cheese, 3 cups lightly packed baby spinach
• Add the reserved sausage mixture and drained pasta to the skillet. Stir to evenly combine and coat the pasta with the sauce. Remove from the heat before garnishing with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
  Chopped fresh parsley

Jenn’s Notes

Storage:

• Store: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
• Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over medium low heat, adding a few tablespoons of chicken broth to loosen the sauce
• Freeze: Freezing is not recommended since cream based sauces can separate when thawed
• Make ahead: This dish can be made a few hours in advance, but it is best served fresh. Keep the sauce slightly loose and reheat gently with added broth before serving

Tips:

• Remove sausage casing before cooking if using links
• Use uncooked Italian sausage, not smoked or cured sausage
• Keep the heat low once cream is added to prevent separation
• Stir often while the sauce simmers to keep it smooth
• Add spinach at the very end so it wilts without overcooking

Nutrition Info

Calories: 1177kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 79g | Saturated Fat: 41g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 202mg | Sodium: 1634mg | Potassium: 992mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 4420IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 595mg | Iron: 4mg

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