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Satisfy your pasta cravings with creamy pasta with sausage and mushrooms. You’ll love this recipe for a saucy, easy, one-dish weeknight meal!
What’s your death row meal? (Hint, mine is this creamy pasta with sausage and mushrooms). That last thing you want to taste before you head off to the great beyond?
I’ve thought long and hard about this. Not because I’m worried that this will somehow become my reality, but because I spend an obscene amount of time thinking about food.
What would I want as my final bite? PASTA.
Sometimes you need a big bowl of pasta. You just do. It’s hard to pick a favorite…pasta smothered in a rich marinara, baked with cheese until golden and crusty, or tossed in a light savory sauce; all are contenders for that final bite.
Pasta is the common denominator for mealtime satisfaction in my house and this creamy pasta with sausage and mushrooms is the hand’s down favorite.
It cooks up quick and easy making it a weeknight winner and the combination of flavors and textures hit all the high notes…
…a rich and creamy velvety sauce
…savory, earthy mushrooms, sausage, and parmesan punctuates every bite
…did I mention it’s so simple and EASY to prepare?
Let’s make Creamy Pasta with Sausage and Mushrooms
- Remove sausage from its casing and crumble (or simply chop up the links) and add to hot olive oil in a large sauté pan.
- Cook until well browned and add minced garlic.
- Add the fresh mushrooms to the pan and cook until golden brown.
- Deglaze with white wine and reduce.
- Add the cream, reserved pasta water, parmesan cheese, parsley, and seasonings. Cook until thickened and creamy, adding more pasta water if necessary.
- Stir in the cooked pasta (I like farfalle) and toss well to cut. Serve with parmesan and chopped parsley if desired.
Tips for success
- DO NOT pour that pasta water down the drain after the farfalle is cooked! The reserved pasta water has starch, salt, and is key in building a velvety, smooth sauce.
- Any mushroom variety will work in this dish, but a mix of wild mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, oyster) adds an even deeper earthy flavor and a nice chewy texture.
- Season with salt as you cook to help build the flavor. Think taste, season, taste, repeat!
Still Craving Pasta?
Check out these pasta dishes for more carby comfort:
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Pasta e Fagioli
Easy Pasta Primavera
The Only Mac and Cheese Recipe You’ll Ever Need!
Easy Shrimp Scampi
Satisfy your pasta cravings with creamy pasta with sausage and mushrooms. You'll love this recipe for a saucy, easy, one-dish weeknight meal!
- 1 lb farfalle pasta
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb sweet sausage, removed from casing and crumbled or chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz button or wild mushrooms, sliced or coarsely chopped
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- minced parsley and grated parmesan for serving
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Cook pasta according to package instructions for al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water when draining.
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While the pasta is cooking, heat a large saute pan over med/high heat and add olive oil.
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Add sausage and cook until browned and cooked through, 10 – 12 minutes.
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Add garlic and cook 1 minute, then add the mushrooms, stirring well. Continue to cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn’t burn.
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Add the white wine and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
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Add cream and about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water (you can add more if needed as it cooks). Stir in the red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, parsley, and parmesan. Cook until the sauce has thickened, adding more pasta water if needed.
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Add the cooked pasta and toss well.
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Top with a sprinkle of parsley and parmesan to serve.
- DO NOT pour that pasta water down the drain after the farfalle is cooked! The reserved pasta water has starch, salt, and is key in building a velvety, smooth sauce.
- Any mushroom variety will work in this dish, but a mix of wild mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, oyster) adds an even deeper earthy flavor and a nice chewy texture.
- Season with salt as you cook to help build the flavor. Think taste, season, taste, repeat!
Update Notes: This post was originally published in January 2016 but was republished with step by step photos and tips in September 2019.
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Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Nothing more comforting than a big bowl of pasta, and this one sounds delish Cathy!
Cathy says
Thanks Mary Ann! Love comfort food this time of year.
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
With all this cold weather, the need for a big ‘ole bowl of pasta is huge! Loving this creamy, dreamy pasta, Cathy! Looks just perfect, and like it needs to make an appearance on my dinner table immediately! Cheers, my dear!
Cathy says
Thanks Cheyanne. It’s definitely stick to your ribs weather here!
Jennifer says
Made this to the delight of my entire family tonight. Easy to make and even easier to gobble up! There is not a speck left!
Cathy says
awesome jen! glad you guys enjoyed!!
gee says
Hello! Can i use chardonnay?
Cathy says
Sure, that should work just fine. The rule of thumb is to use a wine that you would drink, not a “cooking wine”.
Brittany says
Could you sub in cream of mushroom for the cream? :-/
Cathy says
I wouldn’t sub cream of mushroom soup in place of the heavy cream. I would either leave it out and add a little chicken stock and little more parm, or use a couple spoons of sour cream or creme fraiche.
Mike says
My daughter and I both liked this a lot. Our recommendations include using a little less pasta, but more mushrooms. The mushrooms give the dish a real depth of flavor. This recipe is a keeper.
Cathy says
I’m glad you and your daughter enjoyed the recipe. The great thing about pasta recipes is how easy they are to tweak to your liking. My husband (a mushroom lover) would double the mushrooms, but we met in the middle so my boys would eat it too!
Shelly says
I’ve made this several times now. Sooo easy and delicious. I’ve also added broccolini to I or spinach at the last few minutes. Delicious. One of our new faves and hubby isn’t really a pasta fan. Thank you for this gem!
Cathy says
I’m so glad you and your husband are enjoying this recipe Shelly. Love your additions, broccolini sounds divine!
Suanne says
Can I use half and half instead of heavy cream?
Cathy says
You can. It will be a little less rich and creamy, but should work just fine.
Nikola says
Great recipe, I’ve done it few times and in all the times it came out different. Few drops of white truffle oil will make a very nice twist.
Cathy says
Ooooo! I would love a little white truffle oil on there!
shawn ross says
Just made this tonight with fresh foraged chanterelles. It was absolutely amazing! Will definitely be making this one again, thanks!!
Cathy says
Foraged chanterelles?! You have me swooning! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Mary says
Made this tonight with fettuccine and added spinach. Husband and son loved it!!!
Cathy says
So glad they enjoyed. Spinach is a great addition!
Kaye says
My husband was craving pasta with sausage and I googled around and got your recipe which is going to be a repeat in our household!
I did deviate a little – my husband ended up buying spicy Italian sausage for this since I didn’t specify which kind, so I made it with that and skipped the red pepper – so good! I also cut the sausage from the casings and broke it up with a wooden spoon as I cooked which distributed the meat really well between the mushrooms and bowties. Thanks so much for this excellent recipe!
Cathy says
I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it. I sometimes cut the sausage from the casings too, but it’s up for debate in our house which way we prefer it. Thanks so much for taking the time to write in!
Ashley says
This dish is now a family favorite! I did add an onion for a little something extra!
Sandra says
Delicious! I love it over spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta!
Cathy says
YES! I looooove spaghetti squash and it’s a great alternative for gluten-free folks too.
Jan B says
I made this last night and it was delicious! My whole family enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Cathy says
So glad you and your family enjoyed this dish!
Quincy says
This is sooooo delicious!!! I’ve made it twice now and my family and boyfriend love it as much as I do!! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Cathy says
I’m thrilled to hear that! Glad you’re all enjoying the recipe!
Jayne Hofer says
This was fantastic!
Made it for dinner and taking the leftovers to work!
Nice recipe.
Cathy says
Happy you enjoyed it. I’m a leftovers for lunch lover too!
Shelly says
I have made this many times over the past couple of years. And as another person said, my hubby is not a huge pasta fan, however he loves this recipe. I’ve added spinach, broccoli I and cherry tomatoes at various times. This is a keeper! Thank you Cathy!
Cathy says
I’m so glad you’ve made it your own Shelly. It’s a constant in my house too, with different variations depending on what’s on hand. I’ve never tried cherry tomatoes in this, but now I definitely will! Thanks for sharing!
Wendy says
Great recipe and delicious! A couple of modifications: I would suggest stirring in the garlic less than a minute before adding the wine so the garlic doesn’t get bitter. I also added an onion and some Italian seasonings.
Thanks for sharing! ❤️
Cathy says
Great additions and tips! Glad you enjoyed!
Cathy Coca says
Really enjoyed this recipe. Found that it was way too salty for us – will cut back on salt next time (we are in our early seventies and have to watch our sodium intake). I added some grape tomatoes right before I added the white wine (I used vermouth because that is what I had on hand). The recipe is a winner – will definitely make again!
Cathy says
So happy you enjoyed the recipe! Grape tomatoes sound like a tasty addition. I understand about the sodium and I’m sure if you make adjustments, you’ll be happier next time. Thanks for commenting!
Lana says
Fantastic recipe – thank you so much. My husband and son loved it!
Pam says
So good!
Cathy says
Glad you enjoyed!
Margarey says
Great recipe, thanks. I used half and half rather than go th the store….again, but I also added a tablespoon of butter for the fat content. Great recipe thanks
Cathy says
That’s why I love this recipe, super flexible and adaptable!
Jennifer says
Do you think this would work without the sausage but double the mushrooms?
Thanks!!
Cathy Roma says
Sure! I would try a mixture of mushrooms for added flavor/texture. Maybe portabello, cremini, oyster, shiitake and button.
Kay says
Kay, is there anything I can substitute for the wine?
Cathy Roma says
A little more stock with a tiny splash of vinegar or a squeeze of lemon
Kirsten says
I made this last night and it was terrific! Easy and so flavorful. Also like others mentioned you can tweak it with good results. I had chicken sausage on hand so I used that. Also toward the end of cooking i reached in for the parsley only to find it was cilantro (doesn’t that always happen!) so I added a dash of dried basil and thyme and threw in some fresh spinach. For the pasta I used linguini. Definitely love the richness of the sauce with a bit of red and black pepper to give it the kick and the white wine to give it a balance of acidity. I used Chardonnay and it also pairs great with this dish. Will absolutely become a staple recipe, thank you!
Cathy Roma says
So many great tips and I totally agree, tweak it to your likes (and refrigerator!). I’ve made it which chicken sausage, spinach, and a mix of other herbs too, all with great results!
Linden Wong says
I made this today. I used tiny bow pasta. I would probably cut this is half.
Cathy Roma says
The tiny bow-ties sound so fun! The recipe can easily be halved if you’re making it for fewer people. The recipe card allows you to slide the servings which then recalculate the amount of ingredients needed for the recipe.
Maria says
Made it this evening and it turns out fabulous! Even my finicky boys loved it! A keeper! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Cathy Roma says
So glad your boys enjoyed. Always a good night when they kids are happy at mealtime!
shane says
I’m not really a cook, but this looks and sounds Delicious!! I was wondering what you think about adding scallops to it? would it be too much? thanks!!!
Cathy Roma says
I don’t recommend adding scallops as they are delicate and are best seared so they stay tender. You could always tweak the recipe by adding different types of mushrooms for a more texture and flavor.
Sheila McNamee says
Made this last night for company and everyone raved! I added some chopped onion and used hot Italian sausages so left out the red pepper flakes. Instead of adding parmesan to the sauce, I added some Black Truffel cheese, so good. Served with extra parmesan on the table. This is restaurant quality and will definitely be my go to recipe. The farfalle done al dente is a perfect choice for this one.
Cathy Roma says
So glad you enjoyed and I love all of your tweaks and additions. That truffle cheese has me swooning!
Kiara says
Simple and delicious. I added two shallots along with the mushrooms but otherwise followed the recipe.
Cathy Roma says
I’m so with you on the shallots. Glad you enjoyed! The simplicity and adaptability of this dish is what makes it a keeper!
Lauren A says
I want to make this for my family of 5, but my mom can’t have any added cheese due to a past major heart attack. Bummer, I know. Any advice on how to not miss the parmesan? Is it CRITICAL to the recipe, or can a low fat substitute or none at all still let this amazing dish shine?
Cathy Roma says
The parm definitely adds flavor and salt to the dish. That said, you could omit it for your mom (add an extra sprinkle of salt) and use it as a topping for the rest of you. Can she have cream? That is a must for this dish, so I wouldn’t suggest making it without the cream. Let me know how it goes!
Kelli F says
Very tasty. I used breakfast sausage and ramano as I didn’t have exact ingredients. Wonderful dish. Will make it again!
Cathy Roma says
I love to hear how everyone adapts this recipe to make it their own with ingredients that are on hand. Sounds delish!
Karen says
So good and so easy! I used a short rigatoni, which allowed lots of sauce to get inside every noodle.
I’ll definitely make it again, but cut back a little on the red pepper flakes, as I found it a little spicier than is my preference.
Cathy Roma says
happy you enjoyed and great suggestion about using rigatoni!
Jared Milos says
This has quickly become a favorite meal for our family.
One small modification that I make that is killer is adding in a large minced shallot in with the garlic step. Sooooooo good!
Jennifer in Ireland says
5 March 2022. Made this as is before (without wine) and love it but last night we got creative. Hubby sliced black olives, some fresh spinach, and diced fresh tomatoes to add at the end. I make my own Italian sausage and oh my goodness, great thing we dined alone…licking bowls may not be accepted with company!!
Barbara N says
Served this last night to a group and it was a hit. I made it ahead (so I could enjoy the party) and I added red peppers just after the mushrooms, some mozzarella and more liquid so I could bake it later: 350 for 25 mins, started at room temp.
Cathy Roma says
Great additions!