Description
Decadent and sumptuous, this Creamy, Cheesy Italian Sausage and Basil Penne pasta is comfort food at its best.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
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 1/2 cups heavy cream (12.6oz, 357g)
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (2.6oz, 74g)
- handful of 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 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds in a pan until they become aromatic, then pound in a mortar and pestle and add to sausage.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: pasta
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 624
- Sugar: 3.7 g
- Sodium: 1162 mg
- Fat: 30.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 61.2 g
- Protein: 27.3 g
- Cholesterol: 69.7 mg