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Quick Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Pasta with Italian Sausage

sun-dried tomato cream pasta with italian sausage - featured image
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A creamy, tangy pasta dish with savory Italian sausage and sun-dried tomatoes, perfect for quick and satisfying weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces Italian sausage, casings removed (mild, sweet, or spicy)
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (oil-packed recommended)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 12 ounces pasta (penne, rigatoni, spaghetti, or preferred type)
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin preferred
  • Handful fresh basil or parsley, chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 12 ounces of pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente (usually 9-11 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
  2. While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage (removed from casings) and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through (about 6-8 minutes). Remove sausage from the pan and set aside.
  3. In the same pan, add minced garlic and finely chopped shallot. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and translucent, stirring often to avoid burning.
  4. Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Stir and cook gently for 2-3 minutes to bring out their flavor.
  5. Pour in 1 cup heavy cream and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the sauce simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until it thickens slightly.
  6. Return the cooked sausage to the pan. Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce feels too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to reach desired consistency.
  7. Add the drained pasta directly into the sauce. Toss gently to coat every piece in the creamy, tomato-infused sauce.
  8. Remove from heat and stir in grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle fresh chopped basil or parsley on top before serving.

Notes

Toast sun-dried tomatoes slightly before adding cream to deepen flavor. Keep heat medium-low when simmering cream to prevent curdling. Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency. Use fresh Parmesan for best flavor. For lighter cream sauce, substitute half-and-half or coconut milk. Gluten-free pasta can be used to make this dish gluten-free.

Nutrition

Keywords: sun-dried tomato pasta, Italian sausage pasta, creamy pasta recipe, quick pasta dinner, easy Italian recipe

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