This Creamy Marry Me Ditalini Sausage Pasta is a romantic and comforting dish that combines savory sausage with a rich, tomato-infused cream sauce. The small, tubed pasta shape captures the sauce perfectly, ensuring every bite is packed with flavor.
With its golden parmesan finish and hint of spice, this meal is impressive enough for date night but quick enough for a weeknight dinner.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: A savory and rich combination of browned sausage, caramelized tomato paste, and garlic, smoothed out by heavy cream and parmesan.
- Texture: The pasta is tender yet firm, coated in a velvety sauce that clings to the small ditalini shapes.
- Time: 10 minutes prep, 20 minutes cook time.
- Difficulty: Easy. It comes together quickly in just a pot and a sauté pan.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a pot for boiling the pasta and a large sauté pan to build the sauce. The ingredients are simple but flavorful: ditalini pasta (small tubes), mild ground sausage for the protein base, and a sauce made from tomato paste, chicken broth, heavy cream, and plenty of cheese.
Ingredient Notes
- Ditalini Pasta – These small, short tubes are fun to eat and mix beautifully with the ground sausage so you get a bit of everything in each spoonful.
- Mild Ground Sausage – This provides the savory foundation of the dish. Sautéing it until golden brown adds essential texture and flavor.
- Tomato Paste – This adds a deep, umami richness and a beautiful color to the cream sauce. Caramelizing it in the pan is key.
- Heavy Cream – Essential for creating the luxurious, thick texture of the “Marry Me” style sauce.
- Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated parmesan melts best and adds a salty, nutty finish.
- Avocado Oil – Used for sautéing because of its high smoke point and neutral flavor.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Protein Swap – If you prefer, you can substitute the mild ground sausage with ground chicken or ground turkey, simply seasoning it generously during the browning step.
- Spice Level – To make it spicy, increase the red pepper flakes garnish or use hot ground sausage instead of mild.
- Greens – A handful of fresh spinach stirred in at the end with the cream would add a nice pop of color.
How to Make Creamy Marry Me Ditalini Sausage Pasta
- Make the Pasta: Boil a pot of water and season it with kosher salt. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until it is tender but still has a bite to it. Drain off the excess water using a colander, drizzle the noodles with avocado oil to prevent sticking, and set the pasta aside.
- Brown the Sausage: Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mild ground sausage. Sauté the sausage until it is golden brown.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the diced sweet onion and minced garlic to the pan with the sausage. Sauté until the onion is translucent and fragrant.
- Caramelize Tomato Paste: Next, add the tomato paste to the pan. Allow it to cook and lightly caramelize for 2-3 minutes. Season everything with a pinch of kosher salt and a few turns of cracked black pepper.
- Deglaze and Reduce: Deglaze the pan by pouring in the low sodium chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Once the broth reduces by half, reduce the heat to medium/low.
- Make it Creamy: Add the heavy cream to the pan and stir well to combine into a smooth sauce.
- Add Cheese and Combine: Add the grated parmesan cheese. Once the cheese is melted and the sauce is velvety, add the cooked pasta. Toss until everything is well coated in the sauce.
- Serve: If the sauce gets too thick, add a touch of extra broth to help loosen it. Garnish with red pepper flakes and enjoy!
Pro Tip: Don’t rush the step of cooking the tomato paste. Letting it fry in the oil and sausage fat for 2-3 minutes removes the raw, metallic taste and deepens the flavor significantly.
Recipe Tips
- Pasta Water: While the recipe suggests using broth to loosen the sauce, you can also save a little bit of the starchy pasta water before draining. It works great for thinning out the sauce if it sits for too long.
- Grating Cheese: Use a block of parmesan and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese often has anti-caking agents that can make your creamy sauce grainy.
- Dicing Onions: Dice the onions small so they blend in with the texture of the ditalini and sausage, ensuring a consistent bite.
FAQs
- Can I use a different pasta shape? Yes, if you cannot find ditalini, other small shapes like macaroni, shells, or orecchiette work well.
- How do I store leftovers? Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- How do I reheat this? Cream sauces can separate or become thick when cold. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth or water to bring the sauce back to life.
Serving Suggestions
- Green Salad: A simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the cream sauce.
- Garlic Bread: Serve with warm garlic bread to scoop up any extra sauce left on the plate.
- Vegetable Side: Roasted broccolini or asparagus makes a great nutritious side dish.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Prep: You can dice the onions and mince the garlic ahead of time to make the cooking process faster.
- Fresh is Best: Because this relies on a cream-based sauce and pasta, it is best enjoyed immediately after making. If you need to prep ahead, you can make the sauce and cook the pasta separately, then combine and heat them when ready to serve.
Creamy Marry Me Ditalini Sausage Pasta
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
Description
This Creamy Marry Me Ditalini Sausage Pasta is a romantic and comforting dish that combines savory sausage with a rich, tomato-infused cream sauce. The small, tubed pasta shape captures the velvety sauce perfectly, ensuring every bite is packed with flavor. With a golden Parmesan finish and a hint of spice, this meal is impressive enough for date night but quick enough for a busy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces ditalini pasta, uncooked
- 1–2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 8 ounces mild ground sausage
- 1/2 cup sweet onion, diced small
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Pinch kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Red pepper flakes (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
Make the Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it with kosher salt. Cook the ditalini pasta according to the package directions until it is tender but still has a bite to it (al dente). Drain the pasta, drizzle slightly with oil to prevent sticking, and set aside.
Brown the Sausage
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the mild ground sausage. Break it up with a spoon and sauté until it is golden brown and fully cooked.
Sauté Aromatics
Add the diced sweet onion and minced garlic to the pan with the sausage. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until the onion is translucent and fragrant.
Caramelize Tomato Paste
Add the tomato paste to the center of the pan. Allow it to cook and fry in the fat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. This step caramelizes the sugars in the tomato paste, deepening the flavor. Season with a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper.
Deglaze and Reduce
Pour in the low sodium chicken broth to deglaze the pan, using your spoon to scrape up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom. Let the broth simmer until reduced by half, then lower the heat to medium-low.
Make it Creamy
Pour the heavy cream into the pan and stir well to combine, creating a smooth, cohesive sauce.
Add Cheese and Combine
Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and the sauce becomes velvety. Add the cooked ditalini pasta to the pan and toss until every noodle is well coated in the sauce.
Serve
If the sauce becomes too thick, stir in a small splash of extra broth or water to loosen it. Garnish with red pepper flakes for a little heat and enjoy immediately.
Notes
Don’t Rush the Paste: The secret to the deep flavor in “Marry Me” sauce is frying the tomato paste. Do not skip the 2-3 minute caramelization step; it removes the raw acidic taste and adds umami.
Save the Starch: Before draining your pasta, reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water. This is the perfect liquid to splash into the sauce if it gets too thick while tossing.
Grate Your Own Cheese: Avoid pre-shredded bags of Parmesan. They contain anti-caking agents that prevent the cheese from melting smoothly, which can result in a gritty cream sauce.
Pasta Shapes: If you cannot find ditalini, other small shapes like mini shells, elbow macaroni, or orecchiette work beautifully to catch the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 910
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 62g
- Saturated Fat: 30g
- Unsaturated Fat: 28g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 145mg
Keywords: marry me pasta, ditalini recipes, creamy sausage pasta, date night dinner, 30 minute meals, italian sausage recipe, comfort food pasta
