Description
This hearty and creamy sausage pasta recipe combines Italian sausage, penne pasta, and mascarpone cheese in a flavorful tomato broth. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, it features aromatic herbs, tender sausage, and a luscious sauce made right in one skillet.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 19 ounces Italian sausage (casings removed)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup tomato sauce
- 8 ounces dry penne pasta (½ box)
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese (store-bought or homemade, about 1 container)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (plus more for serving)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil: Warm the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, providing an ideal base for cooking the sausage and releasing flavors.
- Cook the sausage and aromatics: Add the Italian sausage (crumbled), minced garlic, Italian seasoning, dried basil, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is thoroughly cooked and browned.
- Transfer the sausage: Use a slotted spoon to move the cooked sausage mixture into a clean bowl. Set aside for later combining.
- Prepare the sauce base: Carefully wipe out the skillet with a paper towel to remove excess grease. Then add the low-sodium chicken broth and tomato sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Cook the pasta: Add the dry penne pasta to the boiling broth and tomato sauce mixture. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender but still firm to bite.
- Drain the liquid: Remove the skillet from heat. Keep approximately 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid in the pan and discard the rest to avoid excess moisture.
- Add mascarpone cheese: Stir in the mascarpone cheese until it melts completely, creating a creamy and rich sauce coating the pasta.
- Combine all ingredients: Return the cooked sausage mixture and fresh chopped basil to the skillet. Mix everything thoroughly to blend all flavors and heat evenly.
- Serve: Garnish with additional fresh basil and serve immediately alongside toasted baguette slices for a complete meal.
Notes
- Make sure to crumble the sausage finely for even cooking and texture.
- Wiping out the pan after cooking the sausage is important to reduce grease for a lighter sauce.
- Reserve some of the pasta cooking liquid to help maintain sauce creaminess without thinning it too much.
- Fresh basil added at the end brightens the dish with a fresh herbaceous note.
- Toasted baguette slices complement the creamy pasta and make the meal more filling.
