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A bowl of spaghetti topped with meat sauce, diced tomatoes, fresh basil, and grated Parmesan cheese, with a block of cheese and a grater in the background.

Italian Sausage Pasta Sauce

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This Italian sausage pasta sauce is a creamy, comforting Italian-inspired recipe with savory sausage, tomatoes, and parmesan. Quick enough for weeknights yet special enough for hosting, it pairs beautifully with rigatoni or spaghetti. Easy to make, freezer-friendly, and full of rich flavor.
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Italian
Keyword comfort food, creamy, easy, freezer-friendly
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 761
Author Gina Dickson

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces pasta (use your favorite pasta) cooked al l dente, drained
  • 1 pound Italian sausage mild or spicy if you prefer
  • 1 tablespoon garlic fresh, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil only use if your sausage is not greasy. You want about a tablespoon of oil left from the sausage before adding flour
  • 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 14 ounces diced tomatoes canned, with juices
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream also called whipping cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Garnish

  • 2 tablespoons basil fresh, sliced or torn into small pieces
  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste

Instructions

Cook the Pasta

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
    8 ounces pasta
  • Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to the package directions.
  • Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining in case your sauce is to thick.

Cook the Sausage

  • Add the sausage to a heavy bottom pan.
    1 pound Italian sausage
  • Cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, breaking the sausage into crumbles until browned.
    Cooked ground meat seasoned with spices fills a large pot on a stovetop, with a black spatula resting inside for stirring.
  • Transfer the sausage to a plate. If there’s excess fat in the skillet, drain most of it, leaving about one tablespoon. * If you do not have 1 tablespoon of sausage grease, add enough olive oil to equal 1 tablespoon altogether..
    1 tablespoon olive oil

Make the Sauce

  • Add the garlic to the same pan over medium heat and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
    1 tablespoon garlic
    Chopped garlic and onions are sautéing in oil at the bottom of a white pot on a stovetop, with the mixture starting to brown and become fragrant.
  • Whisk in the flour and simmer for 1 minute.
    1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
    A close-up of a pot on a stovetop shows browned flour and fat cooking together, forming a roux with a light brown color and bubbly texture.
  • Pour in the chicken broth and whisk until smooth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
    1/2 cup chicken broth
  • Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly thickened.
    A whisk stirs a creamy, light brown sauce with visible bits in a white pot on a stovetop.
  • Stir in the diced tomatoes (with juices), heavy cream, salt and pepper and the cooked sausage.
    14 ounces diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • Let the sauce simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until it thickens slightly.
    A pot of creamy, orange-colored soup with chunks of ground meat and diced tomatoes, being stirred and scooped with a white ladle on a stovetop.

Finish and Serve

  • Add the cooked, drained pasta to the pan, tossing everything together until well coated.
  • If the sauce feels too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
  • Serve hot with freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil on top.
    2 tablespoons basil, Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Notes

Other Cooking Methods

Crock Pot Instructions for Italian Sausage Pasta Sauce

  1. Cook the pasta separately
    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
  2. Brown the sausage
    In a heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat, cook the Italian sausage for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking it into crumbles until fully browned.
    Drain excess grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon fat in the pan. If needed, add olive oil to equal 1 tablespoon total.
  3. Add garlic
    Add the minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Make the roux
    Sprinkle the flour over the sausage mixture and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to remove the raw flour taste.
  5. Add broth
    Pour in the chicken broth, whisking until smooth and scraping up any browned bits. Cook 1 to 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
  6. Transfer to crock pot
    Transfer the sausage mixture to the slow cooker. Stir in the diced tomatoes with juices, salt, and pepper.
  7. Slow cook
    Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or HIGH for 1½ to 2 hours.
  8. Add cream at the end
    About 20 minutes before serving, stir in the heavy cream. Leave the lid slightly ajar and allow the sauce to gently thicken.
  9. Finish and serve
    Add cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Use reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Serve with fresh basil and grated parmesan.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 761kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 1250mg | Potassium: 649mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 608IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 3mg
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