Article: Sausage and Cream Sauce Pasta
Sausage and Cream Sauce Pasta
Try this rich and comforting pasta dish featuring savory Italian sausage, kale, and parsley for brightness, all bathed in a luscious tomato-kissed cream sauce. This satisfying dinner is perfect for a cozy date night at home.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced pole-to-pole
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Chardonnay)
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 16 oz bowtie pasta
- Salt, for boiling pasta water
- 4 kale leaves, ribs removed and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped, plus 1 additional tablespoon for garnish
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Additional shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
- In a large Dutch oven, braiser, or skillet, sauté the onion in the olive oil and butter until softened but not fully cooked. The onion will continue cooking as the sausage browns.
- Add the sausage and crumble it with a wooden spoon. Cook until completely browned.
- Add the crushed red pepper flakes and sliced garlic. Cook for a few minutes more, until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add the white wine and simmer until it has reduced.
- Stir in the tomato paste and continue cooking until it darkens slightly in color.
- Add the heavy cream, stir to combine, cover, and simmer on low heat to allow the flavors to meld.
- While the sauce simmers, cook the bowtie pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
- When the pasta is almost finished cooking, stir the chopped kale and 1/4 cup parsley into the sauce. Cook until slightly wilted and evenly distributed.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Add the cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, and grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce. Stir until well combined and silky in texture.
- Serve immediately, garnished with additional shaved Parmesan cheese and extra parsley.