Creamy Mozzarella Pasta with Smoked Sausage

Creamy Mozzarella Pasta with Smoked Sausage – Italian style pasta dinner that looks good and tastes great!  Short penne pasta with thinly sliced smoked sausage are smothered in a delicious creamy sauce made with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, half and half, and Mozzarella cheese.

This creamy sausage pasta is a great recipe to try with the savory smoked sausage.

The recipe easily feeds 4 people, or makes an easy weeknight dinner for two, with leftovers for next day’s lunch.

What makes this smoked sausage pasta especially tasty is that first you cook sliced sausage for about 4 minutes, letting it release juices, and then you incorporate these juices into the creamy sauce, making the pasta dish spicier and more flavorful.

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Creamy Mozzarella Pasta with Smoked Sausage

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

50 mins

 

Creamy Mozzarella Pasta with Smoked Sausage - Italian style pasta dinner that looks good and tastes great!  Short penne pasta with thinly sliced smoked sausage are smothered in a delicious creamy sauce made with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, half and half, and Mozzarella cheese.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 602 kcal

Author: Julia

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 0.4 lb smoked sausage , sliced (I used Gyulai Smoked Sausage)
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes , without oil, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 1/2 cups half and half
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese , shredded
• 8 oz penne pasta
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• salt to taste (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add sliced sausage, cook for 4 minutes, about 2 minutes on each side. Sausage will release its own juice. Remove sausage from the skillet.
2. To the same skillet, add chopped sun-dried tomatoes and minced garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, constantly stirring.
3. Add half and half. Bring to boil. Add cheese, reduce heat, and keep stirring until the cheese melts. Bring heat to medium, if needed, to melt the cheese, then reduce to simmer.
4. Cook pasta, drain.
5. Add cooked and drained pasta and sausage back to the skillet with the sauce. Stir. Add pepper flakes.
6. Note: I did not have to add salt, as the smoked sausage is already salty and provides enough saltiness. Add salt to taste, if needed.

Recipe Notes

WHAT IS HALF AND HALF? Half and half is half milk half cream. To make 1 cup of half and half, combine 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.

Nutrition Facts

Creamy Mozzarella Pasta with Smoked Sausage

Amount Per Serving

Calories 602 Calories from Fat 297

% Daily Value*

Fat 33g51%

Saturated Fat 15g94%

Cholesterol 87mg29%

Sodium 620mg27%

Potassium 599mg17%

Carbohydrates 52g17%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 22g44%

Vitamin A 610IU12%

Vitamin C 4.5mg5%

Calcium 265mg27%

Iron 2.1mg12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.