Get ready to fall in love with this creamy pasta with sausage and peppers. It's the kind of weeknight dinner that feels indulgent but comes together in under 40 minutes. Orecchiette is my favorite pasta for this recipe - its little scoop shape catches the sausage and silky sauce in every bite, making it the perfect match.
This dish truly stands on its own - hearty, flavorful, and satisfying straight from the skillet. But if you feel like rounding out the table, it pairs beautifully with a fresh, vibrant salad.
If you like this and are looking for more easy weeknight staples, you should try my Crispy Chicken Cutlets or cozy Chicken Enchiladas next.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Creamy Pasta with Sausage
- Ingredients You'll Need
- How you Make This Creamy Pasta with Sausage and Peppers
- Substitutions
- Variations of Creamy Pasta with Sausage and Peppers
- Equipment You'll Love
- How to Store Creamy Pasta with Sausage
- Top Tip
- FAQ
- Want more simple weeknight dinners?
- Recent Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
Why You'll Love This Creamy Pasta with Sausage
- Fast and foolproof: Ready in 30 minutes - perfect for busy nights.
- Creamy without being heavy: Feta cheese melts into a silky sauce that coats the pasta beautifully.
- Versatile: Works with mild or spicy sausage and any shape of pasta, though I'll always have a soft spot for orecchiette.
Ingredients You'll Need
One of my favorite parts of this Creamy Pasta with Sausage is how a few simple, colorful ingredients transform into something incredibly comforting. The orecchiette catches the creamy sauce perfectly, making every bite balanced and flavorful.
- Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- Bell peppers (tri-color, chopped)
- Olive oil (for sautéing)
- Garlic cloves, minced
- Dried oregano
- Orecchiette pasta
- Feta cheese, crumbled
- Reserved pasta water
See recipe card for quantities.
Quick Hint: Use a Meat Chopper to break up sausage quickly - it's a total game-changer for even browning and texture.
How you Make This Creamy Pasta with Sausage and Peppers
Making this pasta is as simple as it gets: brown the sausage, soften the peppers, cook the pasta, then let the sauce come together right in the same pan. Here's how I do it step by step..
Brown the sausage
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add sausage. Break it up with a meat chopper until browned and cooked through. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
Sauté the peppers
Add the olive oil to the same pan with the sausage drippings, then add chopped bell peppers and cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.xt
Combine and season
Return the sausage (and all of the drippings in the bowl) to the pan, sprinkle in oregano, and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low.
Cook the pasta
Meanwhile, cook orecchiette in the boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
Bring it all together
Add the pasta to the sausage mixture along with feta and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
Substitutions
You can easily make this pasta your own - here are a few simple swaps that still deliver all that creamy, satisfying flavor:
- Chicken sausage instead of pork.
- Fusilli, penne, or rigatoni in place of orecchiette.
- Goat cheese instead of feta for a tangier, creamier finish.
Variations of Creamy Pasta with Sausage and Peppers
Want to change up your Creamy Pasta with Sausage from time to time? Try these easy variations:
- Add fresh spinach or kale in the last few minutes of cooking for a pop of green.
- Stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes if you love a little heat
- Add a handful of sun-dried tomatoes or a few spoonfuls of roasted cherry tomatoes when you return the sausage to the pan - the sweet-tart flavor deepens the sauce beautifully.
Equipment You'll Love
Let's be honest - breaking up and browning meat has never been my favorite part of cooking. But this year, I discovered the Meat Chopper (took me long enough), and I swear it's a total game changer. It makes quick work of sausage, breaks everything up evenly, and saves your wrist from all that awkward spatula work. Once you try it, there's no going back.
- I love this dutch oven from Staub- it's beautiful to serve in and makes clean up a breeze.
- This is a more budget friendly dutch oven option that still performs beautifully.
- Meat Chopper - it's a game-changing time saver!
How to Store Creamy Pasta with Sausage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water to bring back that silky texture.
Top Tip
Don't skip the pasta water! It's the secret to that glossy, restaurant-style sauce. The starch helps everything cling together so every curve of orecchiette gets coated in creamy goodness.
FAQ
Visit the search results to see which questions come up under the People also ask section for your primary keyword, and answer them here
Absolutely. Ricotta or mascarpone can create a creamier, milder sauce.
Only if you want it to be! Choose mild or spicy Italian sausage to fit your preference.
Want more simple weeknight dinners?
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Pasta with Sausage and Peppers
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: 4-6 Servings 1x
Description
A cozy, 30-minute pasta with Italian sausage, sweet bell peppers, and feta cheese - creamy, flavorful, and endlessly comforting.
Ingredients
1.5 pounds ground Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
3 bell peppers, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 lb orecchiette pasta
6 oz feta cheese, crumbled (double for extra creaminess)
1 cup reserved pasta water (divided)
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
-
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
-
In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the sausage directly to the pan. Break it up until browned and cooked through. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon- you want to hang on to any drippings to flavor your pasta.
-
Add a drizzle of olive oil to the same pan with the drippings. Add bell peppers and sauté until soft, 8-10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
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Return sausage to pan, sprinkle in oregano, and stir well. Set aside.
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Cook orecchiette until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain.
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Add pasta, feta, and ½ cup pasta water to sausage mixture. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring halfway. Add more water if needed. You know it is done when feta has melted into a sauce that coats your pasta.
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Serve warm, topped with grated parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Use a meat chopper for fast browning and don't skip the pasta water - it's what makes the sauce silky.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 Cups
- Calories: 750
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 1100mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 67g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Emma Van Degna says
Surprisingly quick to make! I first tried it with pasta and it was the ultimate creamy comfort food 🤍 Then I swapped in spaghetti squash and it was just as satisfying, still rich and delicious, just a little lighter. The best part, is that it's easy to make. I’ll be able to whip this up from memory next time!
*(Tip: When swapping with Spaghetti Squash, use less pasta water in sauce)