By Becky Hardin
Published Jan 24, 2024
Flavorful Italian sausage is tossed together with tender penne to make this quick, easy, and creamy Sausage Pasta recipe! The pasta is cooked in a mixture of chicken broth and tomato sauce to give it more flavor, and it’s all held together by melted mascarpone cheese. This is a hearty one-pan dinner you don’t want to miss out on!
Why We Love This Sausage Pasta Recipe
This combination of pork, pasta, and creamy cheese is the kind of meal you’ll look forward to having after a long day!
- Creamy. Made with mascarpone cheese , the sauce is ultra-thick and creamy.
- Hearty. Italian sausage, penne pasta , and cheese make this dish filling and comforting.
- Easy. This sausage pasta takes just 30 minutes from start to finish.
Variations
If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply swap in a gluten-free pasta. Barilla makes gluten-free noodles, or you can use something like chickpea pasta. Be sure to keep an eye on it while cooking, because alternative varieties often cook faster.
How to Store and Reheat
Once cooled to room temperature, you can store pasta with Italian sausage in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave, stirring each time it stops, until warmed all the way through.
Serving Suggestions
Serve bowls of this creamy sausage pasta recipe along with big slices of Texas toast or fresh breadsticks , and this Italian salad .
More Pasta and Sausage Recipes To Try
- Fettuccine Alfredo with Sausage
- Baked Mostaccioli
- Crockpot Ziti
- Instant Pot Spaghetti
- Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ 19 ounces Italian sausage casings removed
- ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning store-bought or homemade
- ▢ 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ▢ 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ▢ ¾ cup tomato sauce
- ▢ 8 ounces dry penne pasta (½ box)
- ▢ 8 ounces mascarpone cheese store-bought or homemade (1 container)
- ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil plus more for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet set over medium heat until shimmering. 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the sausage, garlic, Italian seasoning, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Crumble the sausage and cook for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through. 19 ounces Italian sausage, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage mixture to a clean bowl. Set aside.
- Carefully wipe out the pan with a paper towel. Add the chicken broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, ¾ cup tomato sauce
- Add the pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes, until tender. 8 ounces dry penne pasta
- Remove the pan from the heat. Leave about 3 tablespoons of liquid in the pan, discard the rest.
- Stir in the mascarpone until melted. 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- Add the fresh basil and cooked sausage mixture back to the pan. Mix well. Serve with fresh basil and toasted baguette slices. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Becky’s Tips
- If you don’t have fresh basil for this recipe, you can use dried basil from the bottle.
- Be sure to bring the tomato sauce and broth to a boil before tossing your pasta into the skillet. Use a timer to keep track of how long your pasta cooks to avoid overcooking it and making it mushy.
- You can alternate the sausage with ground beef, ground turkey, or even meatless crumbles.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Sausage Pasta Step by Step
Heat the Oil: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a deep skillet set over medium heat until shimmering.
Cook the Sausage: Add 19 ounces of Italian sausage, 3 minced cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of dried basil, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Crumble the sausage and cook for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage mixture to a clean bowl. Set aside.
Boil the Liquid: Carefully wipe out the pan with a paper towel. Add 2½ cups of low-sodium chicken broth and ¾ cup of tomato sauce. Bring to a boil.
Cook the Pasta: Add 8 ounces (½ box) of penne pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes, until tender. Remove the pan from the heat. Leave about 3 tablespoons of liquid in the pan, and discard the rest. Stir in 8 ounces (1 container) of mascarpone cheese until melted.
Garnish and Serve: Add 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil and the cooked sausage mixture back to the pan. Mix well. Serve with fresh basil and toasted baguette slices.
Use 19 ounces of Italian sausage links, or ground Italian sausage. If using sausage links, remove the casing before adding the sausage to the pan.
Penne pasta is the best choice for this recipe, but it’s not the only choice. Feel free to use other types of pasta, including rotini or small shells.
The best substitute for mascarpone cheese is cream cheese. If you don’t have that, other options include ricotta or cottage cheese .
Sausage Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 19 ounces Italian sausage casings removed
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning store-bought or homemade
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup tomato sauce
- 8 ounces dry penne pasta (½ box)
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese store-bought or homemade (1 container)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil plus more for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet set over medium heat until shimmering. 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the sausage, garlic, Italian seasoning, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Crumble the sausage and cook for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through. 19 ounces Italian sausage, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage mixture to a clean bowl. Set aside.
- Carefully wipe out the pan with a paper towel. Add the chicken broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, ¾ cup tomato sauce
- Add the pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes, until tender. 8 ounces dry penne pasta
- Remove the pan from the heat. Leave about 3 tablespoons of liquid in the pan, discard the rest.
- Stir in the mascarpone until melted. 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- Add the fresh basil and cooked sausage mixture back to the pan. Mix well. Serve with fresh basil and toasted baguette slices. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Notes
- If you don’t have fresh basil for this recipe, you can use dried basil from the bottle.
- Be sure to bring the tomato sauce and broth to a boil before tossing your pasta into the skillet. Use a timer to keep track of how long your pasta cooks to avoid overcooking it and making it mushy.
- You can alternate the sausage with ground beef, ground turkey, or even meatless crumbles.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
