Description
Sausage tomato pasta blends Italian comfort with zesty flavors, creating a quick weeknight dinner sensation. Hearty sausage, ripe tomatoes, and aromatic herbs dance together, promising you a delicious escape on a plate.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground Italian sausage
- (Ground beef can also be used)
Pasta and Vegetables:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) penne pasta
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce and Seasonings:
- 1 (16-ounce/454 grams) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (8-ounce/227 grams) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 56 large leaves fresh basil, chopped
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for topping
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a generously salted pot of water to a rolling boil and cook pasta until perfectly tender, following package instructions for ideal texture.
- In a spacious skillet, render the sausage over medium heat, breaking it into crumbly pieces and allowing it to develop a rich, golden-brown exterior.
- Introduce finely diced onions and minced garlic to the sizzling sausage, sautéing until the aromatics become translucent and fragrant.
- Cascade diced tomatoes and tomato sauce into the skillet, stirring to integrate all components and create a vibrant, rustic foundation.
- Stream heavy cream into the bubbling mixture, reducing heat to allow the sauce to gently thicken and develop a luxurious, velvety consistency.
- Scatter fresh basil leaves into the sauce, letting them infuse their herbaceous essence while the mixture simmers softly.
- Transfer the perfectly cooked pasta directly into the skillet, tossing thoroughly to ensure each strand is lavishly coated with the robust sauce.
- Plate the pasta with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and additional torn basil leaves for a restaurant-quality presentation.
- Accompany the dish with warm, crusty garlic bread to soak up every last drop of the magnificent sauce.
Notes
- Master the pasta cooking by testing for al dente texture, which means firm but not hard, ensuring perfect pasta consistency every time.
- Swap traditional pork sausage with turkey or chicken sausage for a leaner protein option that maintains rich flavor profile.
- Control sauce thickness by adjusting cream quantity and simmering time, allowing you to customize the dish’s richness according to preference.
- Enhance vegetable intake by adding spinach, zucchini, or bell peppers directly into the sauce for extra nutrition and color contrast.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 724
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 810 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg