Description
A creamy and flavorful Marry Me Italian Sausage Pasta recipe featuring browned Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and a rich tomato cream sauce tossed with perfectly cooked pasta. This quick and easy stovetop meal is perfect for a comforting dinner that feels special.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Meat
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta
- 11 ounces Italian sausage (casings removed)
Sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons cold water (for cornstarch slurry)
Garnish
- 1 small handful fresh basil, chopped or torn
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese, optional, to taste
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Boil a salted pot of water and cook your pasta al dente according to package directions, then drain but reserve a splash of pasta water if you want to thin the sauce later.
- Brown Sausage: Remove sausage meat from casings and crumble into a skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes until nicely browned. Transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and discard excess fat from the pan if there is a lot.
- Sauté Garlic and Deglaze: Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic and white wine to the skillet. Let it bubble for about a minute or until the liquid is reduced by half.
- Prepare Cornstarch Slurry: In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of cold water until smooth.
- Add Cream and Tomato Paste: Stir in the heavy cream and tomato paste until the tomato paste is fully incorporated.
- Add Remaining Sauce Ingredients: Mix in sun-dried tomatoes, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and the cornstarch slurry. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to add flavor.
- Combine Sausage and Thicken Sauce: Return the browned sausage to the pan and cook for a few more minutes until the sauce thickens to your liking.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce and Serve: Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to combine, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to adjust sauce consistency. Serve immediately topped with fresh basil and optional freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
- If using oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drain the oil before adding to the skillet. Chop into small pieces if not pre-cut.
- This recipe uses 3 Italian sausages (about 11 ounces) from a typical 5-pack size; similar weights work well, and feel free to add more sausage if desired.
- Reserve some pasta water before draining to help thin the sauce if it becomes too thick.
- Use freshly grated parmesan for the best flavor if adding cheese.
