Zesty Sausage and Basil Pasta with Creamy Mustard Sauce
This rustic pasta dish is packed with bold flavor—juicy sausage, fresh basil, and a punchy Dijon cream sauce come together for a meal that’s rich, comforting, and anything but ordinary.
🍴 Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 12 oz rigatoni or penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb Italian sausage (casings removed)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
🔥 Instructions
Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, then drain and set aside, reserving about ½ cup of the pasta water.
Brown the Sausage: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking it up with a spoon. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet, sauté the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Make the Sauce: Stir in Dijon mustard, then add the heavy cream and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and let it reduce slightly, about 3–5 minutes.
Bring it All Together: Return the sausage to the skillet, then add the drained pasta. Stir in the Parmesan and toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Add Basil and Season: Fold in fresh basil and season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.
Serve Hot: Spoon into bowls and top with extra Parmesan and basil if desired.
📦 Amazon Must-Haves to Help You Create the Best Sausage and Basil Pasta
- 🍳 Large Nonstick Skillet — Ideal for browning sausage and tossing pasta right in the sauce.
- 🔪 Chef’s Knife — Sharp, balanced, and perfect for chopping onions, garlic, and herbs.
- 🧄 Garlic Press — Crush garlic quickly and cleanly without the sticky fingers.
- 🥄 Heat-Resistant Silicone Spatula — A kitchen essential for stirring sauces and scraping down skillets.
- 🧀 Parmesan Grater — Freshly grated cheese melts beautifully and tastes so much better.
💡 Helpful Tip: Want to lighten it up? Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and swap in turkey sausage for a leaner twist.