This creamy Tuscan sausage pasta is a super easy and incredibly comforting and flavorful weeknight dinner recipe!
Oh man... I really liked this creamy sausage pasta recipe. I kept sneaking bites of the sauce before the pasta was cooked. I'm so bad at doing that. And I always forget to put the water on for the pasta. Sometimes until the sauce is entirely finished. I'll never learn...
I have a few "Tuscan" (basically the sun-dried tomato + spinach combo and usually some basil and cream and plenty of garlic) recipes on here including my Tuscan chicken pasta, creamy Tuscan chicken breasts, Tuscan salmon, creamy Tuscan ravioli, and Tuscan shrimp. They're all variations of the same popular recipe. I just can't get enough of these flavors.
I had some Italian sausage in the fridge that needed using up, so this is where the idea for this recipe came from. Just adding another winner to the Tuscan collection. 😛
Recipe notes & tips:
- I used 3 sausages out of a 5-pack of Johnsonville Mild Italian sausages... you can add a bit more or less and it won't make or break the recipe.
- I used mild Italian sausage, but if you prefer some heat, try hot Italian or add a pinch of cayenne pepper or some red pepper flakes to this dish.
- The Dijon mustard doesn't make the sauce taste "mustardy". It just adds more depth to the overall flavor. It's a trick I use in many cream sauces.
- I used fettuccine in this spinach sausage pasta recipe, but you can use any pasta you have on-hand. I tend to always prefer the "noodles" over the shapes, but to each their own. Want to try making your own pasta to make this dish extra special? My friend Krissy has a homemade pasta recipe for that. 🙂
- I've made this without basil before, but I do recommend adding it if you can.
Love sausage with pasta? Try these recipes:
Will you make this Tuscan sausage pasta? Do you love the sun-dried tomatoes/spinach combo as much as I do? Let me know in the comments below! Made this recipe? I'd love if wrote me a review and/or shared this recipe with a friend.
Tuscan Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta (I used fettuccine)
- 10.6 ounces Italian sausages crumbled
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon flour
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1.5 cups baby spinach (loosely packed)
- Small handful fresh basil chopped finely
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste
Instructions
- Boil a salted pot of water and cook pasta al dente according to package directions.
- Take the sausages out of their casings and crumble the meat into a skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's nicely browned on the outside.
- Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside. If there's a lot of fat, discard most of it.
- Add the garlic, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, flour, and lemon juice to the pan. Stir until well combined (be sure to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan) and let it bubble for a minute or two.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cream to the pan. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the sausage back into the pan. Cook for another few minutes until the sauce has thickened up a bit.
- Stir in the basil and spinach. Let it cook for a minute or so until it wilts. Give the sauce a taste and season with extra salt & pepper if needed.
- Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Serve immediately with some freshly grated parmesan if desired.
Notes
- I used the julienned sun-dried tomatoes that are packed in oil and drained the oil prior to adding them to the pan.
- I used 3 sausages from a 5-pack of Johnsonville mild Italian sausages. Anything in the ballpark weight-wise will work.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Theresa says
Really tasty and so easy! I didn't have have cream so I used a big dollop of sour cream and a bit more wine. I will make this again.
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
Thanks Theresa! Good to hear!
Chris Galla says
This is really good. When I started making the sauce I thought it was a little meh. But I waited. Take the time to reduce your sauce. It makes a big difference, the lemon makes a big difference, a little extra mustard makes a big difference. Be patient. The only thing I did extra was add some more roasted tomatoes and a little butter and a squeeze of lemon at the end. It’s yummy and restaurant worthy. My kids all agree. Delicioso!! Plus the girls at work are jealous! Lol. Super easy, not a lot of ingredients, and really yummy. I served it with bucatini…so great! Thank you!!
Natasha says
Yes! I'm so glad you decided to stick with it! 🙂
Helen says
Yum & quick! Is this freezable?
Natasha says
Hi! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I generally don't recommend freezing creamy sauces. You could try and see with leftovers, but it may change the texture a bit once thawed.
Autumn says
I’ve read comments on lots of recipes before that the person making the meal has picky eaters “but my whole family loved this!” Well, I haven’t had that happen until this recipe lol. But even my pickiest kid ate it and asked for more 😳. This was so easy to make and very delicious. We will definitely keep this in the rotation. Thank you!
Natasha says
Hahaha that's great!! I'm so glad it was finally your family's turn lol.
Rose says
I made this tonight and OMG it was great! I tested it on my family and they all said it was a keeper.
Natasha says
Fantastic!! 🙂
Linda Malasavage says
OMG I just made your Tuscan Sausage Pasta and it was unbelievable! I just got back from NYC and had a couple of pasta meals and this was far better in my opinion. I haven't made a bad meal from you...good job!!
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
Thank you so much, Linda! We're delighted you enjoyed the pasta and other recipes!!
Laura M says
This is very good and very easy. Next time I’ll use wine instead of broth. It was very rich and I think the tang from the wine would help brighten up the richness. Most definitely a keeper!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you liked it, Laura! Agree on the wine... it's definitely my personal go-to in sauces like this, but I like to offer the option for people who don't drink/don't want to open a bottle.
Amanda Seppi says
This recipe is amazing and my all time favorite dinner to cook when we have guest over. It taste amazing and it can look super fancy!! Its got the wow factor, the colors are just gorgeous!!
Natasha says
Aww thank you so much!! I'm glad it's a hit!!
Melissa Linardos says
I am so excited to make this recipe! I love the combination of the pasta, sausage, and sauce. It also looks so manageable for me as a beginner cook.
Natasha says
Hi Melissa!! I hope you enjoy it. Let me know if you make it! 🙂
Scott Schreiber says
This recipe makes a wonderful meal! We use impossible sausage to cut down on the fat a bit, and it was still very, very good. We also use Bucatini pasta to soak up some of the sauce....so good. Thank you, love your recipes!
Natasha says
Fantastic!!! I'm so glad it was a hit. 😀
Anice says
Do you think it would be good with coconut cream to replace the heavy whipping cream? I need it to be dairy free
Natasha says
Hi! If you're used to making that swap and enjoy it, I don't see why it wouldn't work. I do find you can sometimes taste the coconut a bit, but there's lots of bold flavors in here, so I think it would be worth a try. Let me know!
CarolZ says
Can the recipe be doubled? Specifically,
If I use 1 pound of pasta do I then use 2 cups of cream? It sounds like a lot.
Natasha says
Hi! So, I think you could probably get away with using a bit more pasta and a bit less cream, but then you'll end up with less sauce overall. It is a fairly flexible recipe... like if you add a bit less cream you won't wreck it or anything, it just may have a slightly different consistency. You could add more chicken broth instead, for example, but then it won't be quite as thick.
Christine says
I made this for dinner last night. What a hit! It was so flavorful and delicious! I doubled the recipe for my family of 5 and I like to have leftovers for lunch. I am adding this to my dinner rotation. Thank you 🙂
Natasha says
You're welcome!!
Karen says
This recipe is Wonderful!! Have made it many times. I always put in the whole lb of Hot sausage and since I often don’t have fresh basil I use a little dried. And don’t hate me, but I use wide egg noodles. Same size and taste as fettuccine but fewer carbs. So darn delicious.
Natasha says
I'm so happy you like this recipe!! And egg noodles are great... whatever works for you! 🙂 Thanks for your review!
Elizabeth says
This is my favorite pasta dish to make and eat. Guests ask for the recipe! So flavorful and delicious. Plus it’s so easy to make! I use orecchiette pasta to catch the sauce in every bite!
Natasha says
I'm so happy you like it, Elizabeth!! Appreciate your review. 😀
Jennifer C Mikhail says
This was so good and came together very quickly. I did substitute half and half for the cream because that's what I had. I also added some pasta water to the sauce. Next time I think will add some red pepper flakes, but this will definitely go in the regular rotation.
Natasha says
I'm so pleased that you enjoyed it, Jennifer! 😀
Sally says
I followed this recipe to the letter but I did double the sauce ingredients and use baby kale instead of spinach. So I guess I did t follow it to the letter! We loved it and I would have to say the ingredient that elevates the whole sauce is the Dijon! Will definitely add to the fall/winter rotation!
Natasha says
Fantastic!! I'm so glad it was enjoyed. 😀
Brandi says
I'm not really crazy about sun-dried tomatoes. Would adding fresh add too much liquid to the dish? Or maybe I could roast the tomatoes first? 🤷🏻♀️
Natasha says
I think fresh tomatoes would be ok (like chop up a smallish one). It will add a little more liquid, but I think it'll be good. Yes, roasting them could for sure work as well. 🙂
Beth says
The best pasta recipe! So easy, quick to make and absolutely delicious!! My go to dish from here on out!
Natasha says
Yay!!! That's great to hear!
Robyn says
This was so delicious, I took a reviewers advice and added fennel seeds and chilli flakes, two of us scoffed the lot - thank you
I live in NZ and used Hellers New Yorker sausages - took their skins off absolute yum!
Natasha says
♥️♥️
Sam says
How many grams in a cup?
Natasha says
For a US cup it's 237 ml. But you don't need to be super precise in this recipe. 250 ml or thereabouts is fine for the cream. For the spinach, just pack it into the same measuring cup of use a couple of generous handfuls.
Jeanne says
Delicious! I used Jimmy Dean regular sausage (very flavorful) and added lots of basil because it goes so well with tomatoes and loved it! A new favorite!
Natasha says
Thank you! I'm so happy you enjoyed it.
Wendy Waterman says
Absolute hit! There weren’t any leftovers! Will definitely make this dish again
Natasha says
Excellent! I'm thrilled to hear that, Wendy.
Julie Tranter says
This is such a delicious pasta! Comes together in less than 30 minutes and is so flavourful.
I used hot Italian sausage which gives a nice punch of heat.
Thank you!
Natasha says
Fantastic!! You're very welcome! 🙂
Sean Roberts says
Loved this recipe, such a nice change from my go-to tomato based sauce. Also added 1/2 tsp of Fennel seeds and of Chilli flakes into the mix and it was delicious.
Natasha says
Fantastic!! Thanks for letting me know, Sean!
Catie says
My family LOVES this recipe and request it often. It also makes a great dinner to deliver to a friend (just have them keep the sauce separate until ready to eat). We use hot italian sausage instead of the mild.
Natasha says
Fantastic!! I'm so glad your family loves it, Catie! Thanks for letting me know. And that's so nice of you to bring it to your friends! 🙂
W says
We had a locally-made sausage to use up and some fresh filled pasta and needed a way to bring the two together. While we didn’t do this recipe exactly, the proportions for the sauce were exactly what I needed, as cream sauces are not my forte. Thank you!! I look forward to doing this properly soon but had to share my gratitude and tell others they should use it.
Natasha says
You're welcome!! So happy this recipe inspired you 🙂
Pat says
Really good and not tough to make
Natasha says
So glad you enjoyed it, Pat! 😀
Melissa says
Absolutely loved this tasty meal!
Natasha says
Excellent!! Thank you! 🙂
brent kinsfather says
A NEW #1 favorite!!!
Natasha says
Thank you so much!
Amanda says
This looks delicious and I've just read some of the comments that rave about it so can't wait to try... could you please let me know what is best to subsitute the cream as I can't have dairy? Thank you
Natasha says
Hi Amanda! Unfortunately, I haven't found anything that can be swapped for cream that truly has the same taste/texture/properties. Some people use coconut milk in my recipes with success, but it won't have the same taste or texture. Other readers recommend alternatives like Silk brand dairy-free whipping cream, but I have not tested it myself.
Amanda says
okay thanks, I'm UK based so don't know what Silk is, may give a go with Coconut cream, thanks
Natasha says
I am not familiar with brands over there, but it might be worth checking to see if you can find a dairy-free cream and experimenting with it. I believe that "double cream" is what the equivalent to heavy cream would be in the UK. So maybe there's a dairy-free sub? In any case, let me know how it goes!
Larissa M. says
This pasta is unreal. 10/10!! I doubled the sauce as lots of people recommended. A new family favourite!
Natasha says
Thrilled you liked it! Thank you!
Christina says
Made this tonight exactly as written, but doubled our for our family of four big pasta fans. An absolute hit! Next time I might reserve some pasta water to stir back in at the end, but it was fantastic regardless.
Natasha says
Awesome!! I'm so glad you liked it.
Danae says
Really delicious! I used mushrooms instead of sun dried tomatoes because it was what I had on hand. Also substituted beef broth instead of chicken. The whole family loved it - even the toddlers 🙂
Natasha says
Wonderful!! That's great to hear. 🙂
Dawn Bading says
I loved this dish. I used bucatini pasta and it was a hit in my house!
Natasha says
Fantastic!! Bucatini is one of my favs. 🙂
Nancy Bickner says
We use turkey Italian sausage and this dish turns out superb! One of my family's favorites.
Natasha says
Wonderful! 🙂
Roxane says
Can you use no sodium chicken broth?
Natasha says
Sure! Salt is a personal preference thing, and Italian sausages generally contain a fair bit, so it'll be just fine. If you find the flavor is lacking, just add a little salt after taste testing. 🙂
Colleen Rodgers says
Great recipe. Made it tonight for my family! Children approved!
Thank you . Will be making it again soon
Natasha says
Awesome!! 😀 So glad to hear it, Colleen! Thanks for your review!