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Smoky Parmesan Sausage Skillet Pasta with Sticky Garlic Butter Sauce

Close-up of penne pasta tossed with sliced smoked sausage in a sticky garlic butter sauce, topped with Parmesan and parsley.
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Make this easy one-pan pasta featuring smoked sausage coated in a rich, sticky garlic butter sauce, finished with Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
  • 12 ounces pasta (penne or rotini work well)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 cups water (for cooking pasta)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. Drain the pasta.
  2. While the pasta cooks, brown the sliced smoked sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until slightly crispy. Remove the sausage and set it aside, leaving about 1 tablespoon of rendered fat in the skillet.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter to the skillet. Once melted, add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
  4. Stir in the smoked paprika and Italian seasoning. Cook for 30 seconds.
  5. Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 2 minutes to slightly reduce. This helps create the sticky texture.
  6. Add the cooked, drained pasta, the reserved sausage, and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss well to coat.
  7. Stir in the 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Continue tossing until the sauce thickens and clings to the pasta, adding more pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, if the sauce seems too dry.
  8. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
  9. Stir in the fresh parsley. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese on top.

Notes

  • To achieve a truly sticky sauce, use the starchy pasta water. The starch helps emulsify the butter and cream.
  • If you do not have smoked sausage, use regular smoked sausage and add 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke to the sauce mixture.
  • For extra flavor, use fresh garlic instead of jarred minced garlic.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://magazinemeal.com/smoky-parmesan-sausage-pasta-skillet-sticky-garlic/