Description
A comforting and flavorful pasta dish featuring bowtie pasta tossed in a creamy sauce with sweet Italian sausage, tomatoes, and mushrooms, topped with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Bowtie Pasta:
- 1 lb package bow tie pasta, about 3/4 used
Sauce:
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1–2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cans (14.5 oz each) Italian style diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Additional Parmesan or Romano cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Boil the bowtie pasta according to package instructions, then drain, toss with olive oil, and set aside.
- Cook the Sausage: In a pan over medium-high heat, cook the sweet Italian sausage, breaking it into bite-size chunks. Once cooked, remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
- Prepare the Sauce: In the same pan, sauté onion, mushrooms, and red pepper flakes until tender. Add garlic towards the end. Stir in drained tomatoes, cream, and salt. Return sausage to the pan and simmer until slightly thickened.
- Finish the Dish: Add Parmesan cheese to the sauce. Combine the cooked pasta with the sauce or pour the sauce over the pasta. Garnish with fresh basil and additional cheese.
Notes
- I use a mix of sweet and spicy sausage for depth of flavor.
- You can substitute part half and half for a lighter version.
- Feel free to use fresh tomatoes when in season, adjusting seasoning accordingly.
- This dish can be adapted for the slow cooker by cooking the sausage, then combining all ingredients (except cream) and cooking on low for 6-8 hours before adding cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 625
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 860mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 19g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 21g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
