Garlic Butter Sausage Pasta with Creamy Parmesan Sauce
Browned Italian sausage bites and rotini tossed in a garlic butter Parmesan cream sauce.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Large pot
- Colander
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 8 oz rotini pasta
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped for garnish
Instructions
Cooking
- Sear. Cook the sausage in the oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat for about 10 minutes until browned and cooked through to 160 degrees F, then stir in the garlic and pepper flakes for 1 minute.
- Boil. Cook the rotini in salted water until al dente, reserving 1/4 cup of the water, and drain.
- Sauce. Remove the sausage, melt the remaining butter in the skillet, and whisk in the cream, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Cheese. Reduce the heat to medium low and stir in the Parmesan for 2 minutes until thick and smooth.
- Combine. Toss in the pasta, loosening with pasta water as needed, then fold in the sausage.
- Serve. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
Notes
Substitutions: Use mild or hot Italian sausage, or swap in turkey sausage.
Tips: Grate the Parmesan fresh, keep the heat low once the cheese goes in, and cook the sausage to 160 degrees F.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to four days and reheat to 165 degrees F.