Creamy Tomato Pasta with Browned Sausage and Basil
Ingredients
- 1 poundItalian sausage (sweet or hot, your preference)
- ·yellow onion
- ·garlic
- 28 ouncecanned whole tomatoes
- ½ cupheavy cream
- 1 poundpasta (penne, rigatoni, or similar)
- ·fresh basil
- 2 tablespoonolive oil
- ·salt
- ·black pepper
- ·parmesan cheese
Prep
- 01
Dice 1 medium yellow onion.
- 02
Mince 3 cloves garlic.
- 03
Tear or chop a small handful of fresh basil (reserve for finishing).
Method
- 01
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 9–12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
- 02
While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove sausage from casings and crumble into the skillet. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 8–10 minutes, breaking it into bite-sized pieces. Transfer to a plate.
- 03
In the same skillet, add diced onion and cook over medium heat until soft and golden, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- 04
Pour in canned tomatoes (crush them with your hands as you add them) and their juices. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 05
Stir in heavy cream and return sausage to the skillet. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 06
Add cooked pasta to the sauce and toss gently, adding pasta water 1/4 cup at a time until the sauce coats the noodles without being soupy. Tear basil over the top and finish with grated parmesan. Serve immediately.
Spice Tips
If you prefer heat, use hot Italian sausage instead of sweet, or add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes to the sauce while simmering. A pinch of nutmeg or dried oregano also complements the tomato-cream base nicely.
For a lighter version, swap heavy cream for half-and-half or crème fraîche. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or broth.