This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This 30-minute Tuscan sausage pasta recipe is a super easy and incredibly comforting weeknight meal! It has a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce that’s special enough for company.

You may also like my Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta or Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup next.

a bowl of Tuscan sausage pasta with a fork

Why you’ll love it

This creamy sausage pasta is one of those where you’ll keep sneaking bites of the sauce before the pasta finishes cooking. The Tuscan-inspired flavor combo of sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and fresh spinach and basil is just so irresistible, much like in my Creamy Tuscan Orzo and Creamy Tuscan Chicken.

It’s surprisingly simple to make this elegant sausage pasta with a decadent and rich Tuscan cream sauce. Italian sausage and pasta just go so well together. One lovely reader said that this is their “all-time favorite dinner to cook”, and I hope you’ll agree as well!

What you’ll need

  • Pasta – I like a longer shape like fettuccine for this one
  • Sausage – buy either a package of Italian sausages, or use bulk sausage meat
  • Garlic – for plenty of aromatic goodness
  • Chicken broth – for the savory base of the sauce. You could also use a dry white wine (e.g., sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio) for a fancy touch instead.
  • Dijon mustard – it doesn’t make the sauce taste “mustardy”. It just adds more depth to the overall flavor. It’s a delicious trick I use in many cream sauces!
  • Flour – it’s a thickener
  • Lemon juice – a pop of brightness and to balance the flavors
  • Heavy cream – what makes the sauce luxurious
  • Sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and basil – this trio makes up the tasty Tuscan flavor profile
  • Parmesan – to top it all off! Always freshly grate it.
ingredients for tuscan sausage pasta in prep bowls

Pro Tip

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.

How to make Tuscan sausage pasta

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

browning Italian sausage in a skillet and then making a sauce with broth and garlic and dijon

Boil the pasta. Meanwhile, crumble the sausage into a skillet, and sauté until browned. Transfer to a plate, and discard most of the fat from the pan. Add the garlic, broth, Dijon, flour, and lemon.

adding sun-dried tomatoes and cream to a skillet, then returning italian sausage

Stir, scraping up the browned bits, and let it bubble for about a minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cream, cooking for a couple of minutes. Return the sausage to the pan, and cook until thickened a little.

adding spinach and basil to a skillet and tossing with pasta for tuscan sausage pasta

Stir in the basil and spinach until it wilts. Taste the sauce, and season with salt & pepper as necessary. Toss with the drained pasta, and top with fresh parm if using.

Tools for this recipe

Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

Substitutions and variations

  • I use mild Italian sausage, but if you prefer some heat, try hot Italian sausage or add a pinch of cayenne pepper or some red pepper flakes to this dish.
  • You can use any pasta you have on hand for this creamy sausage pasta. Want to try making your own pasta to make this dish extra special? My friend Krissy has a Homemade Pasta Recipe for that.
  • I don’t recommend substituting the heavy cream for something lower fat. It won’t taste as rich as intended or thicken up properly and could potentially curdle.

What to serve with this sausage pasta

Leftovers and storage

  • Store leftover sausage pasta for 3-4 days in the fridge in a covered container.
  • Reheat slow in a saucepan over a low heat until warmed through.
  • You could freeze leftovers, but the texture might change, so I avoid it.
closeup of serving tongs with creamy tuscan sausage pasta in a skillet

If you made this Tuscan sausage pasta, please leave a star rating and review in the comments below! You can also tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram.

a bowl of Tuscan sausage pasta with a fork
4.99 from 148 votes

Tuscan Sausage Pasta

This 30-minute Tuscan sausage pasta recipe is a super easy and incredibly comforting weeknight meal! It has a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce that's special enough for company.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 8 ounces uncooked pasta I used fettuccine
  • 11 ounces Italian sausages see note
  • 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 (loosely packed) fresh baby spinach
  • Small handful fresh basil torn/chopped
  • 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.
  • Meanwhile, 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 use the julienned sun-dried tomatoes that are packed in oil and drain the oil prior to adding them to the pan.
  • I use 3 sausages from a 5-pack of Johnsonville mild Italian sausages. Anything in the ballpark weight-wise will work.

Nutrition

Calories: 718kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 49g, Saturated Fat: 23g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 17g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 175mg, Sodium: 730mg, Potassium: 708mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 2026IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 98mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

Leave a star rating and comment below!

This recipe was originally published on January 5, 2019. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!


Hi! Iโ€™m Natasha.

Salt & Lavender is a recipe blog with a focus on delicious comfort food using everyday ingredients. Beat the weekday grind with hundreds of easy-to-follow and hassle-free recipes!

The Salt & Lavender cookbook is here! Order Now

4.99 from 148 votes (7 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment

Please leave a recipe rating!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

428 Comments

  1. Sophia Chormann says:

    Love how fast and easy it came together. I canโ€™t get enough of these flavors, too!

    1. Natasha says:

      That’s great!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Julie Hallqvist says:

    5 stars
    Delicious! Made it for my guests who loved it

    1. Natasha says:

      Yay!! That’s great to hear!

  3. Stephanie says:

    We loved this recipe!! Has a great flavor & easy to make 2 great combinations. Husband said to make sure I save this recipe. Thank you for your great recipe!!

    1. Natasha says:

      Fantastic!! You’re very welcome!

  4. Theresa says:

    4 stars
    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.

    1. Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says:

      Thanks Theresa! Good to hear!

  5. 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. Itโ€™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 bucatiniโ€ฆso great! Thank you!!

    1. Natasha says:

      Yes! I’m so glad you decided to stick with it! ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Helen says:

    Yum & quick! Is this freezable?

    1. 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.

  7. Autumn says:

    5 stars
    Iโ€™ve read comments on lots of recipes before that the person making the meal has picky eaters โ€œbut my whole family loved this!โ€ Well, I havenโ€™t had that happen until this recipe lol. But even my pickiest kid ate it and asked for more ๐Ÿ˜ณ. This was so easy to make and very delicious. We will definitely keep this in the rotation. Thank you!

    1. Natasha says:

      Hahaha that’s great!! I’m so glad it was finally your family’s turn lol.

  8. Rose says:

    5 stars
    I made this tonight and OMG it was great! I tested it on my family and they all said it was a keeper.

    1. Natasha says:

      Fantastic!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  9. 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!!

    1. Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says:

      Thank you so much, Linda! We’re delighted you enjoyed the pasta and other recipes!!

  10. Laura M says:

    5 stars
    This is very good and very easy. Next time Iโ€™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!

    1. 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.