Description
Garlic Butter Sausage Bites with Creamy Parmesan Pasta is a quick, flavorful, and comforting dish. Juicy sausage is sautéed in a rich garlic butter sauce and served over silky pasta coated in a creamy Parmesan sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes, this recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or a cozy dinner. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Garlic Butter Sausage Bites:
- 1 lb smoked or Italian sausage, sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
For the Creamy Parmesan Pasta:
- 12 oz pasta of your choice (fettuccine, penne, or rigatoni)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Step 1: Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
Step 2: Prepare the Garlic Butter Sausage Bites
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the sliced sausage and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides.
- Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.
- Melt butter in the same skillet. Stir in garlic and Italian seasoning, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Return the sausage to the skillet and toss it in the garlic butter sauce.
- Season with salt and pepper as needed. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Step 3: Make the Creamy Parmesan Sauce
- In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until aromatic.
- Pour in heavy cream, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
- Gradually whisk in grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4: Combine & Serve
- Toss the cooked pasta into the creamy Parmesan sauce, ensuring every strand is well coated.
- Transfer to serving plates and top with the garlic butter sausage bites.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley and an extra dusting of Parmesan.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream and use turkey sausage.
- Add extra flavor by tossing in sun-dried tomatoes or fresh spinach.
- Make it gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta and checking the sausage ingredients.
- If the sauce thickens too much, loosen it with a splash of reserved pasta water or milk before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: ~650 kcal
- Sugar: ~2g
- Sodium: ~850mg
- Fat: ~42g
- Saturated Fat: ~20g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~18g
- Trans Fat: ~0.5g
- Carbohydrates: ~45g
- Fiber: ~2g
- Protein: ~25g
- Cholesterol: ~120mg