Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta
Last updated on February 10th, 2026
I love a good pasta dish, and I love it even more when I get to make a cream sauce! This isn’t any cream sauce though, it’s actually a creamy tomatoey, mash up! This Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta brought the best of both worlds! You get that rich flavor from the ricotta and the hearty tomato flavors all in one beautiful dish! It was something a little different! Those blistered grape tomatoes, and all of the herbs and garlic came together to create this restaurant worthy supper! This is also the perfect recipe for a busy weeknight – because it was ridiculously easy! I mean, it really doesn’t get much better than that!
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So, where does pink sauce come from?
Pink sauce is when you mix a tomato and a cream sauce together, creating a pink sauce! This pink sauce – not to be confused with the viral TikTok condiment also called “Pink Sauce,” is an American invention using Italian inspo! People have been mixing these two sauces for some time, calling it different things according to the dish it’s featured in. Some refer to it as rosa, tomato cream, blush, even a vodka sauce would fall under the pink sauce category! By combining these two flavors, you get that tomatoey goodness AND that rich comfort!
Did you know?
Cooked tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which is a very powerful antioxidant! Lycopene helps to neutralize free radicals in the body, which are unstable molecules that can damage cells and contribute to chronic diseases and aging!
Lycopene is good for your heart, reduces your risk of getting cancer, and contributes to healthy skin! Tomatoes are a POWERHOUSE! And when the lycopene in these cooked tomatoes is combined with the fat from the cream and sausage in this recipe, it becomes more bioavailable – meaning it’s easier for your body to absorb those antioxidants! Pretty neat, huh? So, it’s clear that this pasta is a total health food! Ha!
What ingredients do I need?
Italian Sausage
Linguine
Onion
Garlic
Grape Tomatoes
Beef Broth
Tomato Sauce
Ricotta
Butter
Olive Oil
Thyme
Oregano
Crushed Red Pepper
Basil
Salt
Black Pepper
For serving:
Parmesan
Parsley
What equipment do I need?
- Stockpot
- Large Skillet
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Strainer
- Spatula
- Cheese Grater
- Cutting Board
- Chef Knife
How do I make it?
To prep the ingredients:
The first thing you’ll want to do is dice your onion, then mince your garlic and thyme. Get a large stockpot out and fill it with some salted water, bring that to a boil. Cook pasta to package instructions, then drain and set aside until ready to use.
To make the Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta:
In a large skillet on medium, heat oil and butter. Sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes. Then add Italian sausage, and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks.
Dump in the broth, tomato sauce, thyme, grape tomatoes, and seasonings, then stir to combine. Bring everything to a simmer, then turn heat to medium-low.
Simmer for a while and when tomatoes start to blister, remove from heat and stir in the ricotta and cooked pasta.
To serve:
Garnish with fresh parsley and parmesan, if desired! Serve with some warm buttery breadsticks or garlic bread. Enjoy!
Tips:
- If you don’t have fresh thyme, just use Italian seasoning in place of the thyme, basil, and oregano. To get a similar flavor profile, I would recommend using 1 tsp!
- If you don’t have linguine, any type of long pasta will do here. You could use spaghetti, fettuccine, pappardelle – whatever you have on hand!
- Add some diced green pepper or fresh white mushrooms to this recipe, whatever you feel like doing!
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Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian Sausage
- 3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 3 Thyme Sprigs minced
- 1 Yellow Onion diced
- 12 oz Linguine
- 8 oz Tomato Sauce
- 1 cup Beef Broth
- ½ cup Grape Tomatoes
- ½ cup Ricotta
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Basil
- ½ tsp Dried Oregano
- ¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
For serving:
- Parmesan
- Parsley
Instructions
To make the Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta:
- In a large stockpot, boil some salty water and cook pasta to package instructions. Drain and set aside until ready to use.
- In a large skillet on medium, heat oil and butter.
- Sauté the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Italian sausage, and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks, 5-7 minutes.
- Dump in the broth, tomato sauce, thyme, grape tomatoes, and the rest of the seasonings. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, then turn heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- When tomatoes start to blister, remove from heat and stir in the ricotta and cooked pasta.
To serve:
- Garnish Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta with fresh parsley and parmesan, if desired! Serve with some warm buttery breadsticks or garlic bread. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Please be aware that nutritional values are approximate and intended as a helpful guide
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Looks and sounds delish!
Thank you so much!
Such a delicious pasta! This was so easy to make on a weeknight :)
So glad you enjoyed! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing such a great-tasting recipe.
Glad you enjoyed! 😋
This recipe nails the balance between comfort and convenience. The pink sauce breakdown and flexible add-ins make it a great go-to for busy nights!
Happy to hear you liked it, Jet! Thanks for sharing!