This creamy Sausage Alfredo Pasta combines penne pasta, smoked sausage, and a seasoned Alfredo sauce to deliver a restaurant-worthy meal. This dinner can be ready in about 30 minutes or less making it a perfect weeknight meal.
PASTA: Heads-up: you'll need to save pasta water before draining! Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add in 1 tablespoon fine sea salt. Add in all the penne pasta and boil, stirring occasionally, until it's "al dente" according to package directions (lowest time indicated on package). Before draining, remove 1 cup of pasta water. Drain but do not rinse in cold water.
SAUSAGE: Place a large cast iron skillet/pot (big enough to hold all the pasta later) over medium-high heat. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon oil. Once oil is hot, add the sliced sausage. Let sear, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned (smoked sausage is cooked through, so no need to get to a certain temperature). Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a large bowl, leaving any grease behind (If there is more than 1 tablespoon, drain it off). Set sausage aside for now.
SAUCE: In same pot (don't wipe it out), add butter and melt over medium-high heat. Once melted, add in garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Pour in the cream, cajun seasoning, paprika, oregano, and pepper to taste (I add 1/4 tsp.). As soon as mixture boils, turn heat down to medium low. Simmer until thickened, about 1-3 minutes (See Note 3).
SAUCE, CONT.: Once thickened, remove pan from heat. Stir in the finely grated Parmesan cheese until melted and sauce is mostly smooth. Dump drained pasta right on top of the sauce plus 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Return sausage and add optional parsley. Return pan to heat. Turn to medium and toss gently with tongs until the pasta and sauce emulsify (cling together) nicely. This takes about 1 minute. Add additional pasta water if needed (if it's looking dry/stodgy!). Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
ENJOY: Remove from heat and serve right away! Garnish plates with fresh parsley plus a sprinkle more of cheese if desired.
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Notes
Note 1: Cajunseasoning. This seasoning can vary a lot from brand to brand. We personally use McCormick’s® Perfect Pinch Cajun or Tony Chachere’s® Original Creole Seasoning (neither sponsored). You can also make your own Cajun seasoning mix if you’d prefer. Whatever you use, add slowly and to taste. Cajun seasoning is also often salted, which is why we don't add any extra salt to the sauce.Note 2: Parmesan cheese: This ingredient makes the biggest difference to the overall flavor in the recipe. And while this recipe is designed to be quick and easy, don't try to shortcut the cheese. Do not use canned or pre-shredded/grated Parmesan--the sauce won't work (cheese doesn't melt smoothly and you'll be left with a big clump). Instead, use a block of cheese to grate finely on the small sides of a cheese grater or Microplane. If you're looking for some extra umph, try Parmigiano Reggiano--it's incredible in this dish.Note 3: Thickness check: The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Lift up the spoon and immediately trace a line across the back of the spoon with your fingertip. If the line retains a clear track, the sauce is thick enough. If not, the sauce needs to be simmered a bit longer.