This creamy Italian Sausage Pasta was born out of a real intense craving for something hearty, creamy, and insanely savory.
What’s crazy is, I’ve already created this recipe a few years ago. It did not hit me until I was standing at my stove breaking up the sausage and thinking, “This dish feels so familiar. Like I’ve made it before.”
And I have. Mascarpone Stuffed Mushrooms. What I basically did was take the stuffing from the mushrooms and scooped it onto pasta. There are a few tweaks but here we are.
What I love about this dish – it’s hearty but the spring peas add a touch of freshness. And you don’t have to serve it over pasta! You can serve it over baked sweet potatoes, zucchini noodles (or any other veggie noodle), or over a bed of steamed veggies.
Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta with Mushrooms and Peas
Let’s start with the mushrooms. I love a golden brown mushroom. It elevates the umami flavor and the texture is amazing. I cannot tell you how many people have told me they hated mushrooms until they started browning them like I do!
This all comes together with Italian or breakfast sausage, garlic, a little white wine, heavy cream and mascarpone cheese. We really cannot go wrong.
I wanted to add a little texture to the creamy sausage mixture so in a separate, smaller saute pan I brown some panko crumbs (Whole Foods has a paleo option!) in butter and then added a little fresh thyme. This is optional but if you want different textures in each bite, this is the winner.
What recipe are you making for spring? Do we believe spring is actually coming? Why am I still wearing socks?
PrintCreamy Italian Sausage Pasta with Mushrooms and Peas
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 5 oz shiitake or baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 14 oz Italian sausage (or breakfast sausage)
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 16 oz orecchiette pasta or pasta of choice (see notes for other serving options)
Topping (Optional):
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup bread or panko crumbs
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
Instructions
- In a sauté pan over medium high heat, add the butter and oil. Once butter is melted, add the mushrooms. Cook until browned, about 2 minutes on each side.
- Add the shallot and cook for an additional minute. Add garlic and salt and sauté for a one more minute. Add the sausage and crumble while it cooks. Sauté for 8 minutes, until browned.
- Slowly pour in the wine, using a wooden spoon to scrap up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add mascarpone cheese. Stir to combine.
- Add chicken stock, heavy cream, and peas.
- Remove from heat and add freshly cracked black pepper and the parmesan cheese. Stir.
- Serve over pasta and top with bread crumbs.
For breadcrumbs:
- In a small sauté pan over medium high heat, add butter. Add panko or bread crumbs. Sauté until browned, about 2 minutes. Toss in fresh thyme. Use to top pasta.
Notes
To make this dish lighter, instead of serving over pasta you can serve on top of a baked sweet potato or steamed veggies. Or serve with zucchini or butternut squash noodles!
Oh My Goodness! This was so good! And I didn’t even have mascarpone cheese. That would have sent it over the edge! I’m keeping this recipe for anytime I need to impress someone. Thanks Bri!
Did you just use extra cream in place of the mascarpone cheese?
I use 1/4 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese. If you don’t have mascarpone you can use cream cheese in it’s place!
Bri! Yummmmmm! My family all loved this one! It looks simple, but was so so delicious! Thank you!
LOVVVVVVED this recipe! The breadcrumbs are optional… but ALWAYS take the options if Bri’s offering! Best of all, my husband who normally does not like mushrooms said this was delicious. Great flavor and a perfect simple-to-make weeknight meal!
I made this for my family and it was a major hit! I used more mascarpone because I knew I wouldn’t use what was leftover and doubled the amount of peas to try and sneak more vegetables in for the kids. DELICIOUS!
This was delicious and so easy! Quick week-night meal that even the kids loved! Thanks again for sharing Bri!
This is delicious! I was in the mood to make something very much like this and grabbed a few things from the store that I thought was in it. Fast forward a few weeks and this recipe drops in my lap from the angels. I didn’t have everything, so I’ll note my substitutions. Didn’t have mushrooms, but tossed in the garlic and onion right after my sausage was done. No wine, so I added more stock. Used cream cheese instead of mascarpone. Probably doubled the peas, we love them! Make this now and often! This is crazy easy and will be in my arsenal forever! I repeat, make this now!
My husband and I made this for our wedding anniversary celebration dinner in quarantine and have made it a few times since. He said it’s the best meal he’s had in quarantine and that is saying a lot since all we do is cook and eat these days. We served it over baked sweet potatoes and it was soooooo good. Now that I’m writing this I am thinking I’ll have to make it again this weekend!
Just made this again tonight but with chicken. It was also delicious!
So incredibly delicious! My entire family enjoyed this so much; even my 14 month old (who isn’t great at eating veggies) devoured this and legit tried to bathe herself in the sauce that was leftover on her tray, haha!
This is on repeat at our house. For the first time I tried it on sweet potatoes (and subbed coconut cream for mascarpone and doubled the chicken stock in place of wine) to make it a little more paleo friendly. Delicious!
Hello! What is the serving size on this? I am not sure if I should double it – I am trying to feed 5 people. Thanks!
This feeds 4 adults!
Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness! This is so good! Extra mushrooms and peas and added the topping. 5 stars all the way around!
My husband and I make this once every couple of weeks—we just love it! We call it “Fancy Pasta” around our house. 🙂
THIS WAS SO GOOD!! Thanks Bri!
This was incredible! I didn’t get mascarpone cheese but will try cream cheese next time! So yummy- I’ll make this all the time-
Thank you!!