This creamy sausage pasta is quick, comforting, and truly irresistible. Golden, caramelised sausage gets folded into a rich parmesan cream sauce with onion and sage for the dreamiest bite. It’s the kind of pasta that feels special enough for a date night but is easy enough to throw together on a busy weeknight. If you love cozy, creamy pasta recipes, this sausage pasta will become a staple in your house.
Hi! Look, you know I love a creamy sauce, I just can't help myself! This is like my Creamy Tomato Sausage Pasta minus the tomato, and it is pure comfort food. Simple, everyday ingredients come together to make a ridiculously delicious pasta you’ll come back to again and again.
This should absolutely be your dinner tonight. And if you’re on a creamy pasta kick, try my Creamy Chicken Pasta next or check out my creamy pasta roundup for the best of the best!
Why this sausage pasta stands out
- It’s quick but tastes slow-cooked. You get big, comforting flavor in about 20 minutes.
- A parmesan cream sauce that’s silky, not heavy. The cheese melts into the cream for a glossy finish that coats every piece of pasta.
- Sage and onion bring perfect balance. The onions soften and caramelise just enough to add gentle sweetness, which cuts through the richness and makes every bite perfect.
- Works with both dried or fresh pasta.
I’ve used rigatoni for this recipe, but it’s incredible with fresh homemade pasta too. If you want to make it from scratch, try my Homemade Pasta Dough for silky pappardelle, or use my Semolina Pasta Dough to hand-roll shapes like orecchiette.
Ingredients:
Sausage meat - I love pork and fennel sausage for its flavor, but any sausage you enjoy works. Squeeze the meat out of the casings before cooking.
Onion - Use ½ large onion, cooked low and slow until soft and glassy. It adds sweetness and depth without fully caramelising.
Fresh sage - Adds earthy flavor to the sauce and makes a great crispy topping (check out my brown butter with sage video for how to crisp them)
Cream - Heavy cream or whipping cream works best for this sauce. Use pasta water to thin the sauce if needed.
Parmesan cheese - The key to any delicious creamy pasta sauce! Finely grated with a microplane or the star side of a box grater is best.
Substitutions and variations
- Sausage type - You could use spicy Italian sausage, chicken sausage, or a mild pork sausage depending on your flavor preference.
- Herbs - Swap sage for thyme or rosemary.
- Cheese - Pecorino adds a sharper, saltier flavor.
- Optional extras:
- Fennel seeds - Add ½ teaspoon for extra depth.
- Red pepper flakes - ¼–½ teaspoon for heat.
- Olives - Like in my Creamy Mushroom Sauce with Olives, they add a lovely hit of seasoning.
How to make this creamy sausage pasta dish
The full ingredient list, method and a short tutorial video are in the recipe card below. Let’s make it! Here’s how this creamy sausage pasta comes together in six simple steps.
ONE: Gently fry the onions in a large skillet over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes and then set aside.
TWO: Fry the sausage meat on a medium-high heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon until cooked through. Add the chopped sage and cook for a further 30 seconds.
THREE: Lower the heat, push the meat to one side and add the cream. Don't stress if it looks a bit dodgy with the fats not mixing in, it will come together. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
FOUR: Add the parmesan in 2 - 3 separate lots, letting it melt in between each addition. I like to use a flat whisk for this. Add the pepper and lemon juice.
FIVE: Add the cooked pasta, the onions and mix well.
SIX: Let it gently bubble for a minute or two altogether. Add a splash of pasta water if you need to loosen.
Expert tips
- Take your time to cook the onions. Let them soften until sweet and glassy, not browned. I set them aside after cooking because parmesan can cling to onions when it melts into the cream and adding them back in with the pasta gives the smoothest sauce.
- Don’t stir the sausage too much. Leave it alone so it can brown properly. The golden, caramelised edges add huge flavor to the sauce.
- Keep the cream at a gentle simmer. Never let it boil. Medium or medium-low heat keeps the sauce silky and prevents splitting.
- Undercook dried pasta slightly. Cook it a minute less than the package instructions say so it can finish in the sauce and still be perfectly al dente.
- Always save pasta water. Reserve at least a mug before draining. Ideally, time the sauce and pasta so you can transfer the pasta straight into the pan using a spider strainer, it gives better texture and helps the sauce emulsify.
- Salt your pasta water properly. Pasta has no salt in it, so this is your one chance to season it from the inside. I use about 1 tablespoon table salt per 1.7L of water.
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Storing and reheating
Storage:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheating:
I find a microwave the best or in a pan over low heat with a splash of cream to bring the sauce back together.
Freezing:
This pasta isn’t ideal for freezing because the cream sauce can split.
Want a lighter option?
If you love this sausage pasta then PLEASE add my Sausage and Broccoli Pasta to your list. It's insanely good!
Common questions
Heavy cream or whipping cream work well for creamy pasta sauces. They create a rich, silky sauce that doesn’t split. If you prefer a slightly lighter sauce, you can thin it with an extra splash of pasta water as it cooks.
Absolutely. Use whatever sausage you love the flavor of. Pork and fennel is my favorite, but hot or mild Italian sausage, chicken sausage, beef, or lamb all work beautifully.
Yes, this recipe is a great base. Try adding sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli florets, bell peppers, or fresh spinach. Anything that cooks quickly or can be pre-sautéed will work.
A small amount of lemon won’t curdle a cream sauce as long as the heat is kept low. Cream has a high fat content, which helps stabilize the sauce. The trick is to add the lemon after the parmesan has melted and keep the sauce at a gentle simmer, not a boil. If you are worried, add it right at the end after the pasta has been added.
More delicious pasta recipes to try
If you loved this creamy sausage pasta recipe then try my creamy sausage orzo next! My Delicious Sausage Pasta Bake is also a must, one for the entire family. For a richer, slow-cooked option try my Ragu Bianco (white bolognese).
Did you make this recipe?
I would LOVE it if you could leave a review and star rating down below. Also please tag me on Instagram if you share a photo of the dish!
Recipe
Best Creamy Sausage Pasta Recipe
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Ingredients
- 200 grams dried pasta see notes
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- ½ large yellow or brown onion cut into thin slices
- 220 grams sausages about 3 sausages casings removed and meat squeezed out (I use pork and fennel)
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh sage leaves roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds optional, see notes
- ¾ cup cream
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 50 grams parmesan finely grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Lemon zest and extra parmesan to serve
Instructions
- Cook your pasta in a large pot of well salted water according to package instructions (I undercook dried pasta by a minute so it can bubble away in the sauce at the end and not overcook).
- In a large skillet melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat and gently fry the onions for 5 - 6 minutes, adding a pinch of salt half way through. Cook until soft and glassy. You don't want lots of colour on them so lower the heat if you need and keep moving round.
- Set them aside on a plate.
- Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over a medium-high heat and when sizzling add the sausage meat. Break up with a wooden spoon but don't move around too much as you want some nice colour on it.
- Cook for 3 - 4 minutes until cooked through.
- Add the sage and fennel seeds if using and cook for a 30 seconds - 1 minute.
- Lower the heat, push the meat to one side of the pan and add the cream, you only want a very gentle simmer, it shouldn't ever be boiling. (see video below!)
- Don't worry if the cream looks a bit dodgy with the butter and sausage fat at top, it will come together once you whisk the cheese in.
- Add the parmesan to the cream, in a two separate lots, letting it melt into the cream before adding the next lot. I like to use a whisk.
- Add the black pepper and lemon juice and mix quickly with a whisk.
- Add your cooked pasta straight into the sauce along with the onions, toss well and let it all bubble away gently for a minute or two.
- Taste for seasoning and add a pinch or two of sea salt if it needs it.
- Add a splash of pasta water to loosen if you need.
- Serve with extra parmesan and lemon zest on top.
Nicole says
This was great! I doubled the fennel and used beyond vegetarian italian sausage. Everyone loved it! Def putting in the rotation. I think I would just add a little less parm next time. With all the AI generated recipes now, it's been such a pain to find "real" ones. Loved it! thanks 🙂
Emilie Pullar says
Yay for real recipes! Thanks so much Nicole, so glad you enjoyed it 🙂