Decadent and sumptuous, this Creamy, Cheesy Italian Sausage and Basil Penne pasta is comfort food at its best. Italian sausage, fragrant with fennel, is sautéed with garlic and onion, combined with cream, parmesan cheese, and fresh basil, and then tossed with hot buttered penne. Elegant, yet so quick and easy, it's one of those dishes I keep in my back pocket for busy weeknights.
Creamy, Cheesy Italian Sausage and Basil Penne is best served right after combining the sauce and the pasta. The sauce can be made ahead and gently reheated before tossing with the penne just before serving. If I cook this dish an hour or so in advance, I keep the hot, buttered pasta warm by wrapping it in a blanket and mix it with the sauce at the last minute.
Jump to Section
Recipe
Creamy, Cheesy Italian Sausage and Basil Penne
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1.5oz, 42g
- 1 small onion chopped fine
- 3 cloves garlic chopped fine or put through the garlic press
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage 454g **see note**
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or a mix of dried basil, thyme, marjoram, and oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup chicken broth 8.3oz, 235g
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream 12.6oz, 357g
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2.6oz, 74g
- 1 handful fresh basil sliced thin
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Penne
- 1 lb penne pasta 454g
- 1 tablespoon butter .5oz, 14g
Instructions
For the Penne:
- Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente. Drain and toss with butter.
For the Sauce:
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion and garlic until it is soft and translucent.
- Remove the sausage from casings and add to the pan. Cook until browned.
- Add Italian seasoning, bay leaf, chicken broth, and heavy cream. Let simmer on low for 15 minutes.
- Off the heat, stir in parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss with hot buttered penne and serve immediately.
Notes
- If your sausage doesn't contain fennel seed, toast ½ teaspoon fennel seeds in a pan until they become aromatic, then pound in a mortar and pestle and add to sausage.
Nutrition
RELATED RECIPES:
Sundried Tomato Mascarpone Pasta with Baby Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper:
Pasta with Bacon, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Mascarpone - Rich, creamy mascarpone fragrant with crispy bacon, savory sun-dried tomatoes, and aromatic fresh basil is tossed with a curly cavatappi and topped with sliced, grilled chicken breasts. A wonderfully delicious dish!
Creamy Portobello and Mascarpone Pasta - Simple yet elegant, this Creamy Portobello and Mascarpone Pasta makes the perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner.
Pasta Caprese with Pesto, Cherry Tomatoes, and Fresh Mozzarella - Full of fragrant basil, juicy sweet tomatoes, garlicky pesto, and creamy fresh mozzarella, Pasta Caprese with Pesto, Cherry Tomatoes, and Fresh Mozzarella is bursting with fresh summer flavors.
Pasta with Pesto, Green Beans, and Potatoes - Pasta with Pesto, Green Beans, and Potatoes is the classic Genoese pasta dish. According to Marcella Hazan, there is no single dish more delicious in the entire Italian pasta repertory.
Tomato Mascarpone Pasta with Roasted Red Peppers, Burst Tomatoes, and Baby Spinach - A creamy, decadent dish full of Mediterranean flavors. Pasta is tossed in a luscious mascarpone sauce full of sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, parmesan cheese, baby spinach, and sweet basil.
Zosia says
I’m so craving another Italian Sausage! I keep waiting for an excuse to make one! Thanks so much, Kelly!
Kelly says
Thanks Zosia!
Sandra Holm says
Very easy & yummy. I substituted non-fat Greek yogurt in place of heavy cream and I added mushrooms. I’ll definitely make this again.
Kelly says
Sounds amazing, Sandra! Thanks so much!
Sarah D. says
When reheating the sauce for serving, is it better to reheat over the stove or just pop it in the microwave? Thanks!
Kelly says
Hi Sarah, you could heat it either way. I usually do it on the stovetop and add any liquid as necessary if it has thickened.
Amy says
Made tonight. Turned it into a one pot meal (32 oz of a combo of chicken broth, wine, and cream and 16 oz of pasta). Added a little crushed red pepper. My teen boys loved it. Will definitely make again. Might add some pesto or sun dried tomatoes.
Kelly says
Sounds wonderful, Amy!
Dianne says
Fabulous dish! Easy to make and very tasty. I followed the recipe exactly and had no problem with the sauce thickening. I did add the fennel, which added a nice flavor. I will definitely be making this again.
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, Dianne! Thanks so much!
Amanda says
We loved this! The flavor was fantastic! We added chili flakes on individual portions so it wouldn’t be too spicy for our young kids, and I used whole milk because that’s all I had. Let the pasta sit in the sauce for 15 or 20 min to allow it to absorb some of the flavor. Delicious!
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, Amanda!
Rhiannon H. says
This recipe was awesome. Will be making again. Thank you!
Kelly says
So happy you liked it! Thanks so much, Rhiannon!
Alexis Hinger says
Tried it tonight and the flavors were very good. I thought the sauce was too thin as well, but I see the tips you left to thicken it. Delicious!
Kelly says
Hi Alexis! Simmering the sauce for 15 minutes thickens it perfectly for me. Perhaps try simmering it on a higher heat? Also, it thickens as it cools and is absorbed into the pasta. So glad you liked it! Thank you!
Kristi says
This was a really good recipe. I did not have fresh basil, nor did I have the mortar and pestle to chop up the fennel seeds so I skipped that but it tasted great nonetheless! Thank you!
Kelly says
Thanks so much, Kristi! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Ashley says
This was sooo delicious! I had the same problem with mine not thickening up, even with extra time but the flavor was so good I just ended up eating it with a spoon. Yum!
Kelly says
Thanks so much, Ashley! The sauce won't get very thick in the pan. After it's tossed with the pasta, it gets absorbed and starts to thicken.
Anna says
My husband made the penne pasta with chicken sausage. It was amazing but the sauce was not thick, it was like a milk consistency. What did he do wrong? I didn’t want this to happen again when he makes it again. Thank you
Kelly says
Hi Anna! Just simmer the sauce until it is thickened. This takes about 15 minutes for me. You can use a little higher heat as well. The cheese when melted also helps to thicken the sauce. Also, the longer the pasta sits in the sauce, the thicker it becomes. Another way to make it thicker would be to use a little less chicken broth.
Brittany says
I made the sausage and penne... delicious! Such a great recipe! Thank you for sharing
Kelly says
Thanks, Brittany!
Diana says
Can I use Greek yogurt or sour cream rather than heavy cream?
Kelly says
I've never tried it, but let me know how it turns out if you do!
Thomas Cech says
Made this a number of times and its great! I like to add extra red pepper flakes to make it a little more spicy 🙂 One edit I would make (and this is me being nit-picky) is in the "Note" you mention pounding the fennel in a mortal and pestle... It's actually mortar and pestle. Thanks for the great recipe!!!
Kelly says
So glad you liked it, Thomas! Thanks for pointing out my typo!
Cookie Monster says
Makes me love Pasta even more
Kelly says
Thanks Cookie Monster!