Description
This Easy Sausage Pesto Pasta is a quick and flavorful Italian-inspired dish combining al dente pasta with savory Italian sausage, aromatic garlic, and creamy pesto sauce. Perfect for a comforting weeknight meal, it’s rich, creamy, and ready in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Sauce
- 12 oz pasta (penne or fusilli)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup pesto sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Sausage and Aromatics
- 1 lb Italian sausage (casings removed)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Brown Sausage: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes.
- Sauté Garlic and Seasoning: Stir in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) into the skillet with the sausage. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
- Add Pesto and Cream: Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the pesto sauce and heavy cream until the sauce is well combined and creamy.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss everything together to coat the pasta evenly with the sausage pesto cream sauce.
- Season and Garnish: Season with salt and black pepper according to taste. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top and garnish with fresh basil if desired. Serve warm immediately.
Notes
- Use chicken sausage for a lighter protein option.
- For a lighter, dairy-free version, substitute heavy cream with a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Add sautéed spinach or sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor and color.
