Description
Indulge in a rich and flavorful pasta dish featuring savory Italian sausage meatballs, earthy mushrooms, crunchy walnuts, and crispy sage leaves, all enveloped in a creamy Parmesan sauce. This recipe is a delightful balance of textures and flavors that will impress your dinner guests or make a satisfying meal for a cozy night in.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 12 ounces pasta (such as tagliatelle, fettuccine, or penne)
Italian Sausage Meatballs:
- 1 pound Italian sausage (casings removed)
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms (sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts (roughly chopped)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
- Prepare the sausage meatballs: Roll sausage into small meatballs. Cook in olive oil until browned and cooked through. Set aside.
- Crisp the sage: In the same skillet, fry sage leaves until crispy. Remove and drain.
- Cook the mushrooms: Add mushrooms to the skillet and cook until golden. Stir in garlic.
- Make the sauce: Deglaze with chicken broth, then add cream, Parmesan, and pasta water. Simmer until sauce thickens.
- Combine and serve: Toss pasta, meatballs, and walnuts in the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with crispy sage and extra Parmesan.
Notes
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half or whole milk instead of heavy cream.
- Vegetarian option: Substitute plant-based sausage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 720
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
