Italian Sausage Pasta
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
45 mins
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Servings
6 people
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Calories
652 kcal
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Course
Main Course
Italian Sausage Pasta
Description
This Italian Sausage Pasta begins by sautéing ground Italian sausage with diced onion until browned and softened. White wine is then added to the pan to deglaze and reduce, extracting flavorful browned bits. A roux of butter, garlic, and flour is cooked briefly before incorporating a prepared sauce mixture containing tomato sauce, beef broth, half and half, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and various dried herbs and mustard powder.
The pasta is boiled separately and added to the sauce along with the sausage and onion mixture. The dish is finished by stirring in grated Parmesan and mozzarella, which melts into a creamy, cheesy coating enveloping the cavatappi pasta. The hot sauce and sausage provide a mild heat complemented by herbs, while the cream and cheeses add richness.
This recipe allows oven finishing to melt the mozzarella for a slightly browned topping. Tips include using whole milk, low-moisture mozzarella and freshly grated cheeses for best melt and flavor. The recipe also suggests alternative pasta shapes like penne or ziti and offers storage tips indicating that leftovers freeze and reheat well.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Italian sausage hot, mild, or sweet, ground
- ½ cup white wine can sub chicken broth, dry
- 1 yellow onion diced, small
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 1 (15 oz.) diced tomatoes Rotel is also good in this, undrained, canned
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese
- ½ lb. cavatappi pasta can sub penne
Sauce
- 15 oz. tomato sauce
- ¾ cup beef broth
- ¼ cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce I use Frank’s hot sauce
- ½ beef bouillon cube see notes
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon dried basil
- ¾ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¾ teaspoon mustard powder
Instructions
- Pro Tip: If you prefer to use the oven to melt the mozzarella on top (in the last step), preheat oven to 350°.
- Combine sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup with a spout and set aside. Measure remaining ingredients before beginning.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the sausage. Cook and crumble for 3 minutes, then add the onions. Stir occasionally until the onions are softened and the sausage is cooked through, 5-6 minutes. Drain grease and set aside on a plate. Turn the heat off.
- Begin boiling a pot of water for the pasta. Add ½ tablespoon salt once a boil is reached.
- Add the wine to the same skillet used to cook the sausage and set the heat to medium. Let it bubble gently and reduce by half, about 4 minutes. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the brown bits from the pot and work it into the wine, this will give the sauce more flavor.
- Add the butter, garlic, and flour and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the sauce mixture (from step 2) in small splashes, stirring continuously. Do this slowly to ensure the roux doesn’t break and that the sauce remains thick.
- Add the diced tomatoes along with the juice from the can. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the sausage/onions back and stir to combine.
- Simmer, partially covered, while you boil the pasta to al dente, stirring occasionally as it cooks. Drain once cooked.
- Reduce heat to low. Gradually sprinkle the Parmesan into the sauce, stirring continuously. Sprinkle in 1/3 of the mozzarella, saving the rest for the top.
- Stir in the cooked pasta.
- Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Close the lid and allow the cheese to melt. (Or transfer to a 350° F oven for 3-5 minutes or so.) Serve!
Notes
- Use whole milk, low-moisture mozzarella such as Galbani or Dragone for optimal melt and flavor.
- Shred or grate cheeses fresh from blocks to enhance melting and taste.
- Whole milk style cheeses improve creaminess and texture in the finished dish.
- Substitute cavatappi with penne, ziti, or rigatoni if preferred.
- Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc are recommended dry white wines for the sauce.
- Optionally add ½ beef bouillon cube to the sauce for additional depth of flavor.
- Store leftovers in airtight containers refrigerated up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months; thaw and microwave to reheat.
- Melting mozzarella in a 350°F oven for a few minutes is an alternative to stovetop melting for a browned topping.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 652 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 652kcal | 33% |
| Carbohydrates | 42g | 14% |
| Protein | 27g | 54% |
| Fat | 40g | 62% |
| Saturated Fat | 18g | 90% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 105mg | 35% |
| Sodium | 1589mg | 66% |
| Potassium | 747mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 864IU | 17% |
| Vitamin C | 16mg | 18% |
| Calcium | 293mg | 29% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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