Description
A rich and creamy pasta dish featuring garlic butter sausage bites combined with a luxurious Parmesan sauce. This easy and flavorful meal is perfect for weeknight dinners and special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb smoked sausage (andouille, kielbasa, or Italian)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
- 12 oz pasta (fettuccine, penne, or linguine)
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of salted water and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Slice the sausage into bite-sized rounds. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and cook sausage for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Remove sausage, melt butter in the same pan, and sauté garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Return sausage to the pan, stir well to coat, and remove from heat.
- In another pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add chicken broth, heavy cream, and garlic powder, stirring until combined.
- Gradually whisk in Parmesan cheese until smooth. Season with black pepper and salt to taste.
- If the sauce is too thick, add the reserved pasta water gradually until desired consistency is reached.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until evenly coated.
- Mix in the garlic butter sausage bites and stir to combine.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese before serving.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, let the sausage sear without stirring for the first minute.
- Use fresh Parmesan cheese for the best texture and flavor.
- To make it spicier, add more red pepper flakes or a splash of hot sauce.
- Substitute heavy cream with Greek yogurt or half-and-half for a lighter version.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free pasta and a cornstarch slurry instead of flour for thickening.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 720
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 42g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg