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This marry me Italian sausage pasta recipe is easy, full of cozy flavor, and uses everyday ingredients! Sausage and pasta are smothered in a creamy tomato sauce with herbs.
Try my Italian Sausage Orzo Soup or One Pot Cheesy Italian Sausage And Shells next.
Why you’ll love it
I know there are myriad “marry me” recipes out there, but I’ll try to be engaging in writing about this Italian sausage version. That sun-dried tomato, fresh basil, and cream sauce is worthy of committing to the 30 minutes it takes to bring together this dish!
This flavor profile is here to stay. Some would even say it’ll last forever. You’re going to be excited to settle down with a big bowl of this marry me sausage pasta, especially since it uses everyday ingredients! I propose you try it for another quick dinner option.
What you’ll need
- Pasta – I like penne, but use any shape
- Italian sausage – I use mild
- Garlic – savory goodness
- White wine – use a dry white wine (not cooking wine — try pinot grigio, sauv blanc, etc.)
- Heavy cream – for that signature luxurious texture and taste
- Tomatoes – we’re using a combo of tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes
- Oregano – more herb flavor
- Red pepper flakes – I like to add these in give a gentle warmth
- Cornstarch – to thicken the sauce
- Basil – for a fresh finishing touch
Pro tip
There are lots of others to try in the “marry me” family like my Baked Marry Me Chicken, this Marry Me Shrimp Pasta, comforting Marry Me Chicken Meatballs, and reader favorite Marry Me Chicken Pasta.
How to make marry me sausage pasta
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Boil the pasta. Sauté the sausage meat in a skillet until browned, then transfer to a plate. Discard most of the fat from the pan. Add in the wine and garlic, and cook until the liquid reduces by half. Make a cornstarch slurry in a small bowl.
To the skillet, stir in the cream and tomato paste until combined. Add in the sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, and the cornstarch slurry. Scrape up the browned bits, and return the sausage.
Continue to simmer until thickened up to your liking. Drain the pasta, and toss with the sauce. Serve with chopped/torn fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan if desired.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Here’s my sturdy pasta strainer and wine bottle corkscrew.
- I make the sauce in my Le Creuset cast iron skillet.
- If using the optional parm, grate it from a block with a Microplane.
Substitutions and variations
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream for something lower fat. It could curdle and won’t have the intended taste or texture.
- If you need to swap out the white wine for chicken broth, add in 1/2 tsp of Dijon mustard as well to better mimic that white wine flavor (trust me on this one).
- Add in a handful of fresh spinach at the end for more greens!
What to serve with sausage marry me pasta
- A slice of crusty bread, focaccia, or my ultra tasty Cheesy Garlic Bread are great pairings.
- Lighten up the meal with a bright side salad! Try my simple Parm Arugula Salad, or make my reader favorite Creamy Balsamic Dressing or Italian Dressing.
- Or hide an engagement ring inside. (Just kidding. Please don’t do that)
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers of this pasta will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- It might dry out a bit, so add a splash of cream if needed. Reheat slowly over a low heat to avoid the sauce separating.
- This one won’t freeze well due to the dairy.
More easy pasta recipes
If you made this Italian sausage pasta with marry me sauce, please leave me a star rating and review below! Or tag me on Instagram so that I can see your photos.
Marry Me Italian Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta
- 11 ounces Italian sausage see note
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes see note
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 small handful fresh basil chopped/torn
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese optional, to taste
Instructions
- Boil a salted pot of water and cook your pasta al dente according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, take the sausages out of their casings and crumble the meat into a skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, or until it's nicely browned.
- Transfer the sausage to a paper towel lined plate. If there's a lot of fat left in the pan, discard most of it.
- Reduce the heat to medium, then add in the garlic and wine, and let it bubble for about a minute or until the liquid is reduced by half.
- In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of cold water to make a cornstarch slurry.
- Stir in the cream and tomato paste, and once the tomato paste is incorporated, add in the sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and the cornstarch slurry. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the sausage back into the pan and cook for a few more minutes until the sauce has thickened to your liking.
- Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce (add a splash of the hot pasta water prior to draining if you want to thin the sauce a bit!). Serve immediately with the fresh basil sprinkled on top and some freshly grated parmesan if desired.
Notes
- If using sun-dried tomatoes that are packed in oil, drain the oil prior to adding them to the skillet. If they’re not cut up small/julienned, I recommend doing so after you drain them.
- I use 3 sausages from a 5-pack of Johnsonville mild Italian sausages. Anything similar weight-wise will work (feel free to add even more!).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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