Creamy Sausage Pasta with Corn and Basil is a simple dinner you can make in 30 minutes.
This easy Sausage Pasta is so cozy, flavorful and colorful. The combination of fresh basil, corn, and sausage with the creamy mascarpone sauce is to die for. It’s an indulgent and comforting weeknight dinner.
So, I know that our family is trying this whole eating healthy thing, but every once in a while I feel like we need to treat ourselves and just indulge in creamy, cheesy, yumminess. Everyone does this right?!
This Creamy Sausage Pasta is how we’ve been treating ourselves lately. Hearty sausage with sweet corn and basil is a wonderful combination of flavors. And for the indulgent part? Hello, creamy mascarpone cheese sauce. The sauce pulls it all together making it a bowl of pasta perfection.
Easy Sausage Pasta
Sometimes I fall into a pasta rut making the same old dinners over and over. I love all of our old favorites like spaghetti and meatballs, but it’s always nice to switch things up.
Usually, my hubby lets me know when it’s time – he tends to get tired of things quicker than I do! So, if you’re looking to shake things up you should treat yourself to this one. It’s definitely something new (yay!).
The colors of this dish remind me of the Farmer’s Market in the spring. Touches of green, yellow, with a hint of red, sigh, beautiful. It has bold flavors from Italian sausage and a hint of heat from the chili paste that’s balanced out by the richness of the sauce. It’s an easy 30-minute recipe that’s perfect for weeknights. I think you’re going to love it.
Ingredients
- Penne
- Olive oil
- Sweet or mild Italian sausage
- Diced onion
- Fresh or thawed frozen corn
- Salt
- Mascarpone cheese
- Sambal chili paste
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh basil
Mascarpone cheese is a soft and creamy Italian cheese. It’s so creamy all you need to turn it into a sauce is some of the starchy water from the penne, but more about that in a minute.
Sambal chili paste has a complex flavor that adds so much to this dish. It’s a combination of chilis, spices and herbs. It’s spicy, but when you combine it with the cheese the richness mutes the spiciness so all you get it a hint of heat. You can usually find it in the Asian foods section at the grocery store.
How to Make It
Boil the penne. Before you drain it, set aside 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
Cook the sausage with the onion and corn. Transfer it all to a large serving dish or bowl.
Add the mascarpone, chili paste, and hot penne along with the reserved starchy water.
Top it all with the Parmesan cheese and toss, toss, toss until the cheese melts and creates a creamy sauce.
Add the basil, toss again, and it’s ready to serve.
It’s best served immediately while it’s hot and the sauce is really creamy. I like to have some extra Parmesan cheese on the side so everyone can add more if they want it.
This dish is such a wonderful combination of hearty and fresh. The rich cheese sauce with the sausage is so perfectly balanced by the freshness of the corn and basil. It seems so much more complicated than it really is – no one will guess you pulled it all together in 30 minutes.
Enjoy! xoxo San
More Family Favorites to Try
Does your family love pasta as much as mine? You have to try some more of our easy recipes!
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Creamy Sausage Pasta with Corn and Basil
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound sweet or spicy Italian sausage we prefer spicy
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 cups fresh or frozen corn thawed, not canned!
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 ounces mascarpone
- 1 tablespoon Sambal chili paste found in the Asian aisle at your local grocery store
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of salted water on medium-high heat. Add penne and cook according to the package directions. Once noodles are al dente, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the remaining water from the noodles. Make sauce while pasta is cooking.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and sausage; cook for about 5-6 minutes, breaking up the sausage as it cooks with a wooden spoon. Break the sausage into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the yellow onion and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the corn and salt. Stir until the corn is warm, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large serving dish.
- Add mascarpone, chili paste, the hot pasta, and the 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water to the large serving bowl with the corn and sausage. Add the Parmesan directly over the hot pasta. Then using a large serving spoon, toss everything together well. Then add the basil and lightly toss again.
- Serve immediately and with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
Video
Notes
Girl, I never get tired of pasta dishes!!! I am loving all the flavors in this creamy dish! I would gladly give up my salad and healthy eating for a big plate of this goodness!!!
Funny cuz I just watched this episode of Giada the other day! Not right to steal!!
Love pasta dishes and this one sounds so good. Thank you.
Yum yum. Perfect for a rainy night like tonight in Ft. Fun! I have to try this!
My family loved this. I subbed in sriracha for the chili paste, as that’s what I had here at home. Thanks for sharing!
This looks really good! Is there anything I can substitute for the mascarpone? It’s a tad expensive.
Thanks!
Yummy Yummy recipe love to taste
Can I substitute anything for the masaropone:-) my husband doesn’t like it, or sour cream, or cream chese
Why can’t you use canned corn?
I can’t tell you how much I love this recipe. I made it a few days ago, and the family went bananas for it. I love all the sausage and that creamy sauce.
Everything in this dish goes so well together. Every bite was fantastic!
I have never had corn in pasta and it was so tasty!!
It’s definitely a very interesting combo! I love to try new pasta recipes!
Great flavors here, perfect for a weeknight dinner!
Great pasta dish. My “go to” when fresh sweet corn is available.