Description
A rich and comforting pasta dish featuring savory browned Italian sausage in a velvety tomato cream sauce, finished with Parmesan and fresh basil.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed
- 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the sausage to the skillet, breaking it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and crispy.
- Reduce heat to medium and stir in the minced garlic, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens in color.
- Pour in the heavy cream and simmer gently for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- Add the cooked pasta and Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Remove from heat, stir in fresh basil, and season with salt and pepper before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired