Fettuccine with Creamy Sausage Sauce
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
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Servings
6 people
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Calories
682 kcal
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Cuisine
Italian
Fettuccine with Creamy Sausage Sauce
Description
The Fettuccine with Creamy Sausage Sauce recipe combines Italian sausage with aromatics like onion, celery, and carrot that are sautéed until tender. The sausage is cooked through and seasoned with nutmeg, salt, and pepper, then simmered slowly with half-and-half, tomato paste, drained whole tomatoes, and beef stock. This slow simmering results in a rich and creamy sauce with a balanced savory and slightly sweet profile. The sauce is thick enough to cling to fettuccine or linguine, especially if fresh pasta is used, which cooks quickly and adds a tender bite.
The dish offers a creamy, slightly chunky texture from the vegetables and tomato pieces, complemented by the ground sausage. The nutmeg adds a warm note that enhances the flavor complexity without overpowering. Simmering the sauce allows the ingredients to meld while avoiding dryness by adding beef stock in increments.
This recipe can be made ahead and stored refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to two months. Use fresh pasta or dried pasta cooked al dente, reserving some pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if needed. Top servings with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for added depth.
The type of sausage can be varied, including hot, sweet, or a combination; half-and-half is used for creaminess but can be substituted with whole milk or heavy cream in part or whole. The sauce benefits from slow cooking to develop depth, and the chopped vegetables add body and subtle sweetness.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 cup carrot peeled and chopped
- 1 lb Italian sausage sweet, hot, or combo, with casings removed
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg grated
- kosher salt fresh ground black pepper
- black pepper fresh ground black pepper
- 1 cup half and half divided
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 oz. can whole tomatoes drained
- 1 cup beef stock
- 16 oz. pasta fettuccine or linguine, a mix of spinach and egg is great!
- Parmesan Cheese grated, for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the butter and stir with a wooden spoon until melted. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and saute until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the sausage and stir to break into smaller clumps. Sprinkle with the nutmeg and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the sausage is almost fully cooked, about 8 minutes.
- Add ½ cup of the half-and-half, stir well, and cook for 8 minutes, using a wooden spoon to incorporate the half-and-half into the sausage mixture.
- Stir in the tomato paste. Use your hand to squeeze tomatoes into the sauce, mixing well. Add another ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper to the sauce.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, adding the beef stock in increments to keep the sauce from not drying out. After simmering for 30 minutes, and after you've added all of the beef broth, stir in the remaining ½ cup of half-and-half.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. If using fresh pasta, it will only need to cook for about 2 minutes. Be sure to save a least a cup of pasta water.
- Add the pasta to the sauce in the skillet and toss until the strands are well coated with the sauce. Add reserved pasta water to help loosen the pasta and mix with the sauce. Serve at once with grated cheese passed at the table.
Notes
- Use 1 pound of Italian sausage, which may be approximately 3 to 4 links depending on size.
- Mix hot and sweet sausage varieties if preferred for a balanced flavor.
- Chicken or turkey sausage can be substituted; season with ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning if unseasoned.
- Use half-and-half divided: ½ cup to sauté into the sausage mixture and ½ cup added after simmering.
- Fresh pasta cooks quickly; dried pasta like fettuccine or linguine is also suitable—cook to al dente and save pasta water for thinning sauce if needed.
- The sauce can be prepared up to 1 week ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 2 months in an airtight container.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 682 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 682kcal | 34% |
| Carbohydrates | 65g | 22% |
| Protein | 24g | 48% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Cholesterol | 83mg | 28% |
| Sodium | 725mg | 30% |
| Potassium | 691mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 3982IU | 80% |
| Vitamin C | 7mg | 8% |
| Calcium | 97mg | 10% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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