This Creamy Pesto Sausage Pasta is the best whole wheat pasta dish! It’s an easy, healthy family favorite made with pesto, sausage and parmesan cheese!
Creamy Pesto Sausage Pasta
Simple pasta recipes are my favorite recipes to make! This creamy pesto sausage pasta was a huge hit with the family and it could not be more simple to prepare with just a handful of ingredients. Serve with a nice loaf of crusty bread and a salad and you’ll be good to go!
If you love pasta recipes, be sure to try my Chicken Caprese Pasta Bake too! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.
What You’ll Need
- small dry pasta– I used small whole wheat pasta shells for the recipe today. Any small shaped pasta works great.
- ground sausage– You can use a mild ground sausage or hot version. I usually get Jimmy Dean in the sausage roll.
- pesto– Find the prepared pasta in the pasta section of the grocery store. Near the pasta sauce.
- heavy cream– Heavy cream is used to make the pasta creamy. Find it in the dairy section near the milk.
- Parmesan Cheese– For best tasting results use a freshly grated Parmesan Cheese. In the refrigerated section of the grocery store, they offer fresh grated.
- basil leaves– Fresh basil goes so nicely in pasta dishes. Adds a delicious freshness garnished on top.
How to Make Creamy Pesto Sausage Pasta
- Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Place sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, crumble and brown. Transfer cooked pasta and sausage to large pot over medium low heat. Slowly stir in pesto and cream. Cook until hot, takes just a few minutes.
- Garnish each plate of pasta with fresh grated Parmesan Cheese and fresh chopped basil leaves.
Transfer the cooked pasta and browned sausage to a nice pot. I check the doneness of my pasta 2 minutes before the suggested time, to make sure it doesn’t get overcooked. Add about 1/4 cup prepared pesto to the pot. For a stronger pesto flavor feel free to add more. We like more of a “slight” pesto flavor.
Add cream, stir until hot and top with grated Parmesan and fresh basil. Just like that dinner is done in under 30 minutes. Love this one.
Quick and simple weeknight dinner friends. Note that if pasta is left out before serving, sauce will thicken slightly. Add more cream or milk to thin.
How To Serve
Serve pasta with a side salad and garlic bread if you’d like. It’s fantastic by itself, but great with sides as well. Try switching up the protein. Chicken, shrimp, beef are all great options. Try adding other sauteed vegetables to the pasta. Zucchini, broccoli, peppers are all delicious.
Leftovers
Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat as needed.
Creamy Pesto Sausage Pasta
Equipment
- Stove
- Large Skillet/Fry Pan
- Dutch Oven or large pot
- strainer
- measuring cups
- mixing spoon
Ingredients
- 1 pound small pasta dry
- 1 pound ground sausage
- 1/4 cup prepared pesto
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil leaves
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Place sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, crumble and brown. Transfer cooked pasta and sausage to large pot over medium low heat. Slowly stir in pesto and cream. Cook until hot. Before serving sprinkle with Parmesan and fresh basil.
Nutrition
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Ahh this looks great! Will have to try it out next week 🙂
Looking for the nutrition guide for the Creamy Pesto Sausage Pasta
This looks delicious! I love using whole wheat pasta to make dinner a teeny bit healthier!
Hooked ! Ingredients promise a lot 🙂 Thank you !
This would be perfect for a busy day! Yum!
OMG! How easy is this?!? This is a must make!
Looks like a dish my family will love!
Such a healthy pasta recipe!
If I hear the words “creamy” and “pasta,” I’m always in! This dish looks to DIE for!