Creamy Sausage Pasta is the perfect dinner dish to whip up when you’re running low on time and ingredients. It’s ready in just 15-20 minutes, and PACKED with flavour. The whole family will love this incredible Italian sausage and cheese loaded pasta!

Why We Love This
Who doesn’t love a one-pot meal! The creamy pasta sauce takes no effort for the amount of flavour it carries, and it’s super filling. You can use any kind of pasta you like, although we love penne for scooping up all that delicious sauce.
The best part? Double the recipe and cook it as a batch – you’ll have plenty of leftovers for work lunches or to freeze for an easy-mode dinner for another night.
There’s something decadent about using 2 whole cups of cream for this sauce. But if you don’t have cream, you can easily substitute with bechamel or white sauce, or try our easy no-cream Italian carbonara pasta instead.
Related: Chicken Pasta Bake / Homemade Pasta Sauce

What is Creamy Sausage Pasta?
This is a truly satisfying pasta dish and yet it’s made from the simplest of ingredients! Think creamy, garlicky white sauce, herby Italian sausages, a scattering of spinach and al dente penne pasta.
Now the sausages? Well, there’s regular sausages, and then there’s Italian sausages. There is a huge difference between the two, and that’s the incredible FLAVOUR.
We’d never had them until our friend’s dad (who’s Italian) cooked us the sausages in a simple Napoli sauce. The intricate spices really take Italian sausages to a whole other level, and have a magic power to transform any dish that you cook them in!
What You’ll Need
Simple ingredients for this easy weeknight pasta recipe! The sauce is made from a base of onions, garlic and mushrooms paired with spinach and cream. You’ll also need your favourite style of pasta (we love penne because it scoops up the flavour and is easy to eat!), along with the following key ingredients:
- Italian Sausages – Italian sausages go very well in both white and red sauces as they feature a flavour combo of pork and fennel. Of course you can also use regular sausages, but I’d recommend popping in some fennel seeds or Italian herbs to up the flavour-ante. You can choose from mild or hot versions of these sausages depending on your preference!
- Pecorino Romano – We love this style of cheese, which is like a more intense version of parmesan. You can use parmesan if you prefer, just note that you may need to use more of it to reach the same level of flavour intensity.
How to make Creamy Sausage Pasta:



- Cook pasta a couple of minutes less than the recommended packet directions, to keep pasta al dente. Set aside.
- Place a large cast iron pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Once heated, add chopped onion, garlic and mushroom and cook for a minute or two. Stir continuously to avoid sticking.
- Add Italian sausages (don’t forget to remove the skins!) into the pan and chop up with your spatula as you mix around the pan. Cook until browned.



- Set heat to low and pour in the cream. Mix around the pan, then add in the baby spinach and parmesan, stirring both into the mixture.
- Add the cooked pasta.
- Mixing everything together. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
Voila! You’re done!
Wandercook’s Tips
- Using the sausage meat with skins removed makes them easier to cook and really helps infuse their flavours through the dish.
- Make sure to add your cream on low heat to avoid boiling and possibly causing the cream to separate.
- Double the recipe so you can batch cook on a weekend, and have the meals ready to go during the week.
FAQs
Yes, you may find you get some natural separation of the cream and oils but it will taste fine! It will also last in the fridge for a few days.
If you’ve found the sauce doesn’t thicken enough after adding the pasta, you have two options:
– Mix a teaspoon of cornflour/cornstarch to 1/4 cup of cold water and add the mixture into your pasta.
– Stir through a little leftover pasta water. The starch from the pasta will help thicken the sauce.
No matter which option you choose, be sure to stir over low heat for a minute or two and your sauce should thicken nicely.
Italian Sausages are a type of pork sausage from Italy that usually contains fennel, which make them very aromatic and perfect for cooking in pasta sauces.
Variations & Substitutes
- Sausages – If Italian sausages aren’t to your liking, try using chicken sausages, spinach and pine nut sausages, lamb and rosemary sausages etc. Any type of sausage with added herbs or spices will create a super tasty sauce when paired with the cream.
- Cream – Replace with homemade bechamel white sauce for a ‘just-as-creamy’ no-cream version. Check out our recipe for Greek Moussaka where we shared Sarah’s easy-mode no-fail bechamel sauce!
- Get Creative with Veggies – If you don’t like mushrooms or baby spinach, try cooking with broccolini, asparagus or cauliflower.

Want more easy weeknight pasta recipes? Try these:




★ Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating below!
Ingredients
- 500 g Italian sausages skins removed (or regular sausages with a 1/2 tsp fennel seeds or Italian herbs)
- 300 g penne pasta
- 6 mushrooms sliced
- 2 cups baby spinach fresh
- 2 cups cream or bechamel/white sauce
- 1 cup pecorino romano cheese or parmesan
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 garlic minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Cook pasta for a couple of minutes less than the recommended packet directions, to keep pasta al dente. Drain.300 g penne pasta
- Place a large cast iron pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Once heated, add chopped onion, garlic and mushroom and cook for a minute or two. Stir continuously to avoid sticking.1 onion, 2 garlic, 1 tbsp olive oil, 6 mushrooms
- Add Italian sausages (don't forget to remove the skins!) into the pan and chop up with your spatula as you mix around the pan. Cook until browned.500 g Italian sausages
- Set heat to low and pour in the cream. Mix around the pan, then add in the baby spinach and pecorino romano or parmesan, stirring both into the mixture.2 cups baby spinach, 2 cups cream, 1 cup pecorino romano cheese
- Add the cooked pasta, mixing everything together. Remove from the heat and serve immediately. Note: If the sauce still doesn't thicken after stirring through the pasta, add a slurry of 1 tbsp cold water and 1 tbsp cornstarch.
Video
Recipe Notes
- Italian Sausages – Italian sausages go insanely well in both white and red sauces as they feature a flavour combo of pork and fennel. Of course you can also use regular sausages, but I’d recommend popping in some fennel seeds or Italian herbs to up the flavour-ante. You could also try using chicken sausages, spinach and pine nut sausages, lamb and rosemary sausages etc. Any type of sausage with added herbs or spices will create a super tasty sauce when paired with the cream. Using the sausage meat with skins removed makes them easier to cook and really helps infuse their flavours through the dish.
- Pecorino Romano Cheese – We love this style of cheese, which is like a more intense version of parmesan. You can use parmesan if you prefer, just note that you may need to use more of it to reach the same level of flavour intensity.
- Cream – Replace with homemade bechamel white sauce for a ‘just-as-creamy’ no-cream version. Check out our recipe for Greek Moussaka where we shared Sarah’s easy-mode no-fail bechamel sauce! Make sure to add your cream on low heat to avoid boiling and possibly causing the cream to separate.
- Double the Recipe – Cook a batch on a weekend, and have the meals ready to go during the week.
- Get Creative with Veggies – If you don’t like mushrooms or baby spinach, try cooking with broccolini, asparagus or cauliflower.
Nutrition

20 Comments
Adrianne
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amThis is a delicious looking pasta! Great to know that you just pull the skins off the sausage and add it in, it looks so tasty. I am always looking for easy, delicious looking pasta dishes and this looks fab, cheers!
Wandercooks
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amYeah, it’s a great technique. Instant meatballs! 🙂
Dannii
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amSausage pasta is so easy and comforting.
Wandercooks
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amYessss, exactly. This is why we love cooking it on weeknights. 🙂
Beth
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amThree magic words – creamy, quick and easy! Every busy mom loves to hear those words!
Wandercooks
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amHaha too true!
Cookilicious
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amPasta is a great comfort food especially on weeknights!
Wandercooks
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amAgreed!
Irina
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amMade it tonight! The evening meal was delicious! I could not find Italian sausages:( So, I replaced them with the pork ones. However, I will definitely try to make this recipe with Italian sausages next time. Thanks for sharing!
Wandercooks
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amThanks for letting us know Irina. I’m sure any sausages would go well – just add a little extra herbs to the dish to compensate.
Tawnie
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amThis has turned into our favorite weeknight pasta recipe – thank you so much!
Wandercooks
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amAww yay! That’s awesome Tawnie, thanks for the feedback. So glad you enjoyed it.
Milica Vladova
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amOh, yummmmm! I just can’t wait to make this amazing pasta – looks so delicious!
Wandercooks
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amThanks Milica – enjoy! You’ll have to let us know how it goes. 🙂
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amThis looks like such a delicious and comforting meal! My whole family love pasta dishes so we will certainly be giving it a try!
Wandercooks
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amAgreed. You can’t beat a nice quick mid-week pasta dish!
Sylvie
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amWhat a delicious looking bowl of pasta!! That creamy sauce sounds so decadent, it’s the perfect mid-week dinner recipe for sure 🙂
Wandercooks
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amThanks Sylvie! Hope you enjoy. Happy cooking!
Dannii
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amSausage pasta is such great comfort food. Love how creamy this is.
Wandercooks
22/05/2020 at 10:24 amAgreed, it’s especially cold here at the moment, so loving the comfort food right now. 🙂