This Creamy Sausage Pasta is a quick and easy one pot recipe. It makes a brilliant midweek dinner, where the pasta is cooked in a super tasty the sauce, all in a single pan.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, one pan meals ARE LIFE.
I’m only just starting to experiment a bit more with one pot pasta dinners though and WHO KNEW?!
The water that the pasta cooks in transforms into a delicious, sticky, silky sauce right there as it cooks the pasta. What could be easier?
This recipe for Sausage Pasta uses a few extra tricks; cream cheese for a creamy sauce without any heavy cream, chunks of sausage for mini meatballs without the faff and magical fennel seeds which transform it into something really special (more on that in a minute).
✅ Dinner in under 30 minutes.
✅ All made in a single pan.
✅ Super fresh, tasty and creamy.
How do you make this one pot sausage pasta recipe?
Start my softening your onions and garlic in the olive oil in a large pan (one which has a lid).
They should just be starting to go see through.
Add in your chunks of sausage and your slices of red pepper. Turn up the heat.
Top tip: Sausage ‘skin’ pieces can be a bit yucky, so I just take each sausage and cut along the length and remove the sausage meat from the skin. Break it into large (or small) chunks as you pop into the pan.
I like to squish some of the sausage chunks with the spoon as they cook so that they go nice and crispy.
When the sausage is starting to colour and the peppers are just getting blackened edges, add in the other ingredients; the pasta, tomatoes, fennel seeds, salt and pepper, Italian herbs, chilli flakes and stock.
Top tip: I always make up 750ml of stock but only add 500ml to start with. I then check on the pasta as it cooks and add more if needed, if it’s looking dry. If you like very ‘wet’ saucy pasta, go ahead and add it all at the start.
Give everything a good stir, pop on the lid and once it is bubbling, turn the heat down to medium/low and cook for about 13 – 15 minutes until the pasta is ALMOST cooked.
When the pasta is almost cooked, add the cream cheese, grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, stir through to just heat through and serve immediately.
What I used to make the Creamy Sausage Pasta recipe:
Olive oil – This should be regular Olive Oil NOT Extra Virgin Olive Oil. For one, that’s too expensive for this! Plus it will smoke too much when you fry.
Onion and garlic – If you want a shortcut, frozen, pre prepared garlic and/or onions are perfect (it’s what I use mostly as one of my favourite shortcuts).
Sausages – Try to use a good quality, high meat content sausage.
Red peppers (or bell peppers/capsicum if you’re in the USA) – You can use other colours (or other veg in fact) but I think these work well with the other flavours.
Pasta – Any dried pasta works well, I haven’t tried it with wholemeal pasta but it would probably just take a little longer to cook.
Tinned tomatoes – Any type of chopped, tinned tomatoes will work for this. I do find that better quality tomatoes are noticeable if you can.
Fennel seeds – These little monkeys are controversial! I do not like aniseed flavour AT ALL, but in this dish they do somehow just elevate it to something special. Please invest in a jar and try it, let me know what you think!
Italian herbs – Any dried Italian herb mix is fine, or oregano if you don’t have a mix.
Chilli flakes – You can add more if you like Spicy Sausage Pasta. It is worth adding this, even for kids, as it really adds a warmth to the dish.
Vegetable stock – Any good quality, fairly low salt, vegetable stock is fine. I think Marigold brand is the best around.
Cream cheese – Any brand is fine, low fat or regular.
Parmesan – Grana Padano is a good, slightly cheaper alternative to Parmesan if you prefer.
Fresh basil – Fresh basil can get very squishy when chopped, I tend to snip into strips with scissors.
Variations on the recipe:
Sausage Pasta Bake recipe – Pop some breadcrumbs or cheese on top and melt under a hot grill before serving. (If you plan to do this, you will need to add all of the stock, and possibly a little more, as all of it will be absorbed by the extra heat.)
Cheesy Sausage Pasta Bake – Add plenty of grated cheese on top and melt under a hot grill before serving. (If you plan to do this, you will need to add all of the stock, and possibly a little more, as all of it will be absorbed by the extra heat.)
Spicy Sausage Pasta – Increase the chilli flakes in the recipe to your taste.
Healthy Sausage Pasta – Remove the cream cheese from the recipe and use lower fat sausages, or even just pork mince.
Tips for making the Italian Sausage Pasta recipe:
Leftovers/Meal Prep – If you don’t serve this as soon as it’s cooked, you’ll find that the sauce absorbs into the pasta and there’s not a lot left. It won’t affect the taste, you may just want to add a splash more stock or some cream cheese when you warm it through.
When is the pasta cooked? It’s important to add the cream cheese etc JUST before the pasta is cooked, so when it is still ‘al dente‘ (has some ‘bite’ to it) as the pasta will continue to cook in the heat of the sauce and pan and you do not want it to be stodgy.
The Fennel Seeds – Please do try the fennel seeds in this – they really make the dish!
Fancy some other one pan meal ideas?
- One Pan Baked Salmon (garlic deliciousness)
- Pesto Chicken (kids favourite)
- Honey & Mustard Chicken One Pan (the BEST sticky sauce)
Hope you enjoy this recipe. I’d love to know how you got on and what you thought of it if you make this recipe.
Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below!
Also, if you fancy showing me a photo by tagging me on Instagram (@tamingtwins) I LOVE to see your creations and try and share as many of them as I can.

Creamy Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Olive oil
- 1 Large Onion Peeled and chopped
- 3 Cloves Garlic Peeled and crushed
- 400 g Good quality pork sausages
- 2 Large Red peppers Deseeded and sliced
- 250 g Dry pasta
- 400 g Tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp Fennel seeds
- 2 tsp Italian herbs
- 0.5 tsp Dried chilli flakes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 750 ml Vegetable stock See notes
- 250 g Cream cheese
- 100 g Parmesan cheese Grated
- 25 g Fresh basil Chopped, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or frying pan (one which has a lid) over a medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and fry gently until softened (about 4 - 5 minutes).
- Remove the sausages from their skins and plop into the pan in small chunks, add the pepper slices, turn up the heat and let everything fry for 5 minutes until the sausage chunks are golden and the peppers are just starting to blacken at the edges.
- Add the dry pasta, chopped tomatoes, fennel seeds, Italian herbs, chilli flakes, salt and pepper and about 500ml of the stock. Give everything a good stir, pop the lid on and cook for 13 - 15 minutes until the pasta is ALMOST cooked through and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- * Note! I always make up 750ml of stock and then check on the pasta as it cooks and add more if needed, if it's looking dry. If you like very 'wet' saucy pasta, go ahead and add it all at the start.
- When the pasta is JUST ALMOST cooked, add the cream cheese, parmesan cheese and fresh basil (if using). Give everything a good stir and leave on the heat for a minute or two just to warm through.
- Serve immediately.
Fiona says
The yummiest new recipe I’ve tried in a long time. Described as both ‘sensational ‘ and ‘stupendous’ by my husband! Definitely don’t leave out the fennel seeds. They really add something special and I’ve been putting them in other tomatoe sauce based things since.
Sarah Barnes says
Hi Fiona, so so pleased you liked it! (And that you’re a fennel seed convert! They are amazing in cheese scones too btw 😍🧀)
Gerry Doherty says
Just .made your creamy sausage pasta realy delicious
Anna Field says
Oh my 😍have just finished this and soooo yummy. Have boxed up a small portion for my son for his tea tomorrow. I’m working my way through your amazing recipes, what’s next?!x
Sarah Barnes says
So pleased you liked it Anna, hope the leftovers went down well too. Let me know whatever you try next!
Sunil Dogra says
Sausage pasta look very delicious and yummy. I will try this definitely for my family. Thanks for sharing.
Katie says
Brilliant, even my fussy 7 year old loved it and he loves nothing but nuggets!
Nadia says
I switched the sausage for chicken (it was defrosted and had to be used). And added sliced carrots. But I can confirm that this recipe is marvellous! Literally so easy! Even for someone who hates cooking! 12/10 love it so much!
Natalie says
All of the family loved this including my 2 year old twins, although I had to leave the chilli out for them. Mother in law also and sister in law both asked for the recipe afterwards. My hit over here!!
Martina says
Haven’t tried this yet. When you say sausages…. you mean regular breakfast pork sausages? Is this correct?
Suz says
So easy, satisfying and delicious!
Joanne Wiley says
Hi. Can the leftovers be frozen?
Olivia says
Loved this recipe. I did struggle as I’m not used to sausages looking so anaemic without their usual dark skin. Sauce was fab. Could you use chicken instead? And can you freeze leftovers?
Sarah Barnes says
If you break them up out of their skin, and let them get crispy in their little clumps, they should look less pale! Hope that helps 🙂
Gemma says
Yum we’ve just polished this off! Very rich so only managed small portioned – but delicious! And enjoyed making it too, really easy x
Kate says
This is one of my favourite meals! So tasty and the kids love it! It is so rare for my fussy 4 year old to clean her plate, but she always does when I make this!
Kerry B says
New regular and favourite in our house!
Danielle says
Love this recipe, great for the whole family, I use cheddar cheese and it’s still tasty!
Isabel says
So easy to make and even better than it’s a one pot recipe to save on the washing up. Very tasty, will definitely be a regular meal for us.
Cara says
One of the best pasta dishes we have ever had, we really enjoyed this. I’ll definitely make it again and again! Thanks!
Sarah Barnes says
So pleased it went down well Cara. Thanks for the comment!
Katy says
We loved this – with some tweaks. We did it with fennel seeds the first time but we didn’t like them so have left them out since then. I don’t use all the cream cheese or all the Parmesan (I just add until it seems done), but other than that I do it by the recipe and it’s so yummy. Easy to do and a crowd pleaser.
Maisie Martland says
So delicious!
Sharon says
Just made this for a quick lunch, pandemic lockdown means the family is constantly hungry. A vote winner for sure. Soon to become a regular family favourite. Love this easy one pot recipe
Abi says
Really lovely family meal, I used Italian flavoured chicken sausages my mistake 🙄 but still delicious!
Sarah Barnes says
Oh I used those the other day in this recipe and enjoyed them! Hope you liked it.
Jodie says
This was delicious, I used leftover boursin cheese instead of the soft cheese 😋
Bev May says
We so enjoyed this thank you so much. Have to admit I tweaked it slightly so that it was a bit more WW friendly I used small pieces of chicken breast instead of sausages and lower fat soft cheese but I don’t think the flavour was compromised as a result. Really love your stuff and thanks again! Bev
Jane says
Made this last night and it was absolutely delicious. Found this site as I was looking for a sausage pasta to feed my toddler and 9month old. I chopped the peppers quite small (I added a red and a green as that what was in the fridge!) I have not seen something eaten so fast everyone loved it and came back for seconds. Will definitely be making it again.
Will now be going through the rest of the site to get some more recipes, so happy I found this place!! Thank you!
Lisa says
So simple but so so tasty. Absolutely loved it ❤️
Elaine Betteridge says
Second time making this, used chicken instead today and it was just as good! Kids didn’t fancy it so I’ve got lots of leftovers, yummy!
Alicia Lewis says
So easy and absolutely delicious!
Claire says
So lovely! I’m wondering if it could be made into a pasta bake whilst it is still a bit ‘saucy’ – will be trying that next time!
Ruth says
I have been making this dish regularly since I came across it around Christmas. It’s now a family favourite, and I have shared the recipe with others too. Easy to make and very yummy! I am not good at leaving reviews normally, but I had to with this one. Thank you.
Victoria says
Brilliant! I followed this recipe but added Polish sausage instead. I love to cook and was nervous seeing you add dry pasta when you add the stock and tomatoes to simmer but it worked and the pasta softened up! I can barely cook rice so feel
proud of myself 😎
Jeff says
Well, aside from the terribly tautologous “preprepared” (“pre-pre-pared”?), this recipe is really excellent. As I was dishing up I was worried that I’d added too much fennel – I’d added less than the listed amount when cooking – but the dish tasted great. Well played, Taming Twins. Well played.
Emma Foreman says
This was amazing and I love that it was one pot! I swapped the meat sausages for meat free ones as my husband is veggie. We all loved it and there are leftovers today. Another fab recipe. Thanks Sarah xxx
Helen Dunnett says
Made this last night 😋 delicious, husband has asked for me to make it again next week and he isn’t a big pasta fan.
Natasha says
This was so tasty and so easy for me to do. I’m on my own with a 6,4 and 10 month old and the beauty of putting it all in one pot made my day! Only downfall is I only had 165g of cream cheese however it honestly tasted amazing still. Got loads of leftovers for tomorrow and the 4 year old was very impressed and declared it as her lunch too. Even the fennel was nice and I usually steer away from anything with it in! Will defiantly be making this a family favourite 🤩
Lynn says
This is such a great recipe and went down a treat! We had leftovers for lunch (I should have put double in for my partner because he said he was ‘gutted’ when he finished it) it tasted even better!! Will defo become a regular in our house.
Lisa says
I have to say I didn’t follow the one pot root as I had to go out and leave a teen in charge of dinner for 15 mins so couldn’t risk pasta not cooking properly BUT I cooked the sauce and pasta separately and it was still a winner. The whole family loved it and the fennel seeds, despite my reservations really bring it all together. Next time I will try the one pot route but good to know that it still works cooking sauce and pasta separately. Thank you so much!
Laura says
Excellent recipe. I used slightly less cream cheese, so not quite so rich, and half the amount of chilli and fennel seeds but it still had enough flavour to be super tasty for the adults, but not enough to scare off the kids! Thanks so much.
Louise says
I searched extensively online for a good sausage pasta recipe and decided yours looked the best! Thank goodness I was right as this recipe is absolutely delicious. It tastes like something from an Italian restaurant; adults as well as kids really enjoyed it. Thank you so much and I look forward to trying more of your recipes!
Juliana McKie says
This recipe reminds me of the Olive Garden in the States! So so yummy! My daughter doesn’t like peppers so I substituted those for courgettes and it went over a treat with the family!
Sinéad says
I didn’t have Parmesan or fresh basil; and I had a red and green pepper instead of just red. And this dish STILL didn’t disappoint! So easy. So delicious. And it’s true: the fennel really elevates it.
Elisabeth says
Made this tonight and it has received rave reviews all round. Easy recipe, I didn’t have fennel so left it out but still tastes so delicious. Will definitely make again!
Elly says
A favourite in our household! I used the Richmond veggie sausages as I’m vegetarian and they work a treat! Love love love this recipe!
Nick says
Cooked this recipe yesterday and it was delicious! My 9 year old twins loved it too!
I’m just beginning to try your recipes and I’m so impressed. Thank you for inspiring mealtimes!
R says
Made this tonight, I did swap the peppers out for courgettes & mushrooms and left out the fennel seeds…. but it tasted lush. Definately adding to me recipie collection. Thank you!
Elly says
10/10 recipe, we all love it in our house! Everybody I’ve made the recipe for also loves it and it’s a staple now. I swap the sausages for the Richmond veggie sausages and it works perfectly for a vegetarian versions I was skeptical about cooking the pasta in the sauce but trust the recipe, it turns out amazing! A huge favourite!
Francesca says
Oh my gosh, you are a genius. This was so delicious on a night where I couldn’t be bothered thinking of anything to cook. It came together so quickly and was completely Yum! Thank you thank you for all your amazing recipes , you make a working mum’s life that bit easier x
Lindsay says
Forgot to rate on my last post but it’s 5 stars from me!!
Norma says
Made this for the family on Saturday and it was a big hit. The fennel seeds were superb. I only had 200g cream cheese but it didn’t seem to make a difference. Will definitely make this again.
Clare says
This is amazing – I made a dairy free version and it was to die for. I will definitely make this again.
Camilla says
So delicious – from a non-fennel lover!
Keith says
This was absolutely amazing loved it
Toria says
Wow! The holy grail of recipes for a busy family. Super easy, quick to make and really delivers on flavour too! A big hit in our house, will definitely be making again.
Laura says
Fantastic meal. I added courgettes and chilli flakes and substituted half of the cream cheese amount with natural yogurt. Amazing 🤩 total hit with my family ❤️
Em says
A firm family favourite, so easy and tasty.
Really reminds me if the Mediterranean biome at the Eden project lol as the smell is so gorgeous