When the evening chill sets in and you just need a hug in a bowl, you need something truly comforting, right? That’s why I’m obsessed with this Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato A Cozy Delight. Seriously, if you’re looking for a flavor punch that comes together faster than cleaning up your kitchen, this is it. I first threw this together when I had a random sweet potato staring back at me and needed dinner on the table in 40 minutes flat. The sweetness of the veggie just sings against that savory Italian sausage and the rich, creamy sauce. It hits all the right notes for an easy, flavorful, weeknight win.
Why Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato A Cozy Delight Is Your New Weeknight Favorite
I know you’ve got a million recipes calling for your attention, but trust me on this one. This sausage pasta recipe is a true workhorse for busy evenings. It checks all the boxes, and then some!
- It’s lightning fast—most of the prep takes just 15 minutes before we even turn the stove on.
- The flavor profile is just amazing; that savory, slightly spicy sausage really balances out the creamy sweet potato base.
- We sneak a healthy vegetable right into the sauce! Who doesn’t love that?
- Cleanup is a dream because almost everything happens in one giant skillet before we toss in the pasta. It’s like magic!
If you’re looking for other comforting, one-pan meals, you should check out my notes on the creamy broccoli chicken penne too!
Gathering Ingredients for Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato A Cozy Delight
Okay, let’s talk shopping! The beauty of this recipe is that it uses stuff you probably already have lurking in the fridge, plus that gorgeous sweet potato. When we gather these things, remember: quality matters, especially with the sausage because it brings so much flavor to the party.
Here is exactly what you need to snag for this divine dinner:
- One pound of Italian sausage—make sure you get the casings off before you start, otherwise, you’ll be fishing them out later, trust me!
- One medium sweet potato, and you need to peel it and chop it into little, even ½ inch cubes.
- Just a tablespoon of olive oil to get things moving.
- One small onion, just chopped up nicely.
- Two cloves of garlic, minced nice and fine so it melts into the sauce.
- ½ cup of chicken broth—the base of all that goodness!
- A ½ cup of heavy cream; this is what makes it luxurious!
- ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Skip the stuff in the green can, please!
- 12 ounces of your favorite pasta. I always grab penne or rotini because they catch all that sauce.
- A little salt and pepper to taste at the end.
If you’re looking for other ways to use incredible sausage, you absolutely must look at my recipe for irresistible sausage gravy and biscuits!
Expert Tips for Preparing Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato A Cozy Delight
Listen, just following the steps is great, but if you want this dish to truly sing, you need to pay attention to the little moments. Those little flavor bombs build up until you have this incredible, deep taste in your Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato A Cozy Delight. Don’t rush the browning, or you lose all that crusty goodness left in the pan. That’s where the flavor starts!
Also, never, ever drain all your pasta water! That starchy liquid is liquid gold for sauces later—it helps everything marry together beautifully. If you’re making this for the first time, just watch those dairy additions closely; that part can turn from perfect to curdled pretty fast if you’re not careful.
If you want to see how I use sweet potatoes in a completely different, really vibrant way, check out my flavorful Tex-Mex sweet potato hash recipe!
Sweet Potato Softness Check
This is essential! You need those sweet potato cubes to be soft before we go adding the broth and simmering. When you think they’re done simmering with the broth, just grab a fork and poke one. If that fork slides in with almost no resistance, you’re good to go. If you feel any hard crunch at all, give it another few minutes covered. We really don’t want crunchy sweet potato hiding in our creamy pasta, do we?
Achieving the Perfect Creamy Sauce Consistency
When the cream and Parmesan hit the pan, you must have the heat on low. If it gets too hot, the dairy just separates, and you’ve lost that smooth, velvety texture. Whisk gently but consistently until the cheese melts right in. If it seems too thick—and it almost always does after the pasta goes in—add that reserved, starchy pasta water just a splash at a time. It thickens everything up beautifully without watering down that incredible flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato A Cozy Delight
Alright, let’s get cooking! We are moving fast here, but remember the pace in my kitchen is always loving, never rushed. The first thing you tackle is the pasta, because that takes the longest. Get a big pot of water boiling, salt it well—like the sea—and cook your penne or rotini according to the box. Right before you drain it? Scoop out about half a cup of that cloudy, starchy water and save it. Don’t skip that step, trust me!
Now for the flavor magic in the skillet. Heat that olive oil over medium heat. Toss in your sausage—casings off—and use your spoon to break it up into small crumbles. Let it brown nicely and get some color on those bits; that’s crucial flavor building! Once it’s done, scoop the sausage out, but leave all that gorgeous rendered fat behind. That fat is the key to sautéing the vegetables!
Next, throw in your diced sweet potato. Cook those for about five to seven minutes until they start softening up just a bit. Then comes the onion—cook that until it gets soft and sweet, which takes about three minutes. And here is my favorite smelling moment: toss in your minced garlic. Oh my goodness, that aroma that blooms off the pan in about a minute is just heavenly. It lets you know the sauce base is coming together perfectly!
Return the cooked sausage back to the skillet. Pour in your chicken broth and crank up the heat just enough to get a nice simmer going. Let this bubble away uncovered until those sweet potatoes are truly tender—usually five to eight minutes. Once they pierce easily, turn that heat down low. Stir in your heavy cream and that grated Parmesan until everything is smooth and coats the back of a spoon. Add your cooked pasta, toss everything to coat, and use that reserved pasta water if it looks too tight. A final dash of salt and pepper, and you are DONE! It’s going to look just as good as that one-pot beef cheddar ranch pasta I shared last week!
Variations on Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato A Cozy Delight
We are talking about a foolproof base here, so don’t be afraid to jazz this Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato A Cozy Delight up a bit based on what you are craving or what you have on hand. This recipe is super flexible, which is why I love it so much for weeknights!
If you aren’t feeling Italian sausage, try swapping it out! Smoked sausage adds a totally different depth, or you can use ground turkey if you want something a little lighter. I’ve even used ground turkey sausage and added smoked paprika to mimic that savory flavor. You know I love my greens, too, so go ahead and toss in a big handful of fresh spinach or chopped kale right after you return the sausage to the pan. It wilts down in seconds!
For the creaminess, if you are out of heavy cream, don’t panic. You can use half-and-half, but I seriously suggest adding just a small spoonful of cream cheese when you add the Parmesan. It really bumps up the body without making it heavy. If this inspires you to play with different meats, you might also enjoy the flavors in my andouille sausage with peppers!
Serving Suggestions for Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato A Cozy Delight
This pasta is so rich and comforting that it really shines when you pair it with something light and crisp on the side. You don’t need anything fussy here!
I almost always serve this with a very simple green salad tossed with a bright lemon vinaigrette. The acidity cuts right through the creaminess of the sauce, and it just balances the whole meal perfectly. If you’re feeling ambitious, grab some crusty bread—maybe my recipe for those fluffy, buttery dinner rolls—for dipping up any leftover sauce in the bowl. Yum!
For a drink, I usually reach for a medium-bodied red wine, like a Chianti or a Merlot. They stand up nicely to the sausage without overpowering the sweet potato.
Storage and Reheating Instructions for Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato A Cozy Delight
Don’t fret if you can’t eat all of this heaven in one sitting! Leftovers are fantastic, but you need to know the trick for reheating this Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato A Cozy Delight.
When it chills overnight, that creamy sauce gets super thick—like almost gluey when you pull it out of the fridge. That’s normal because of the Parmesan and the starch from the pasta. The best way to revive it is to put it in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Add just a splash of milk or, even better, a little of that reserved pasta water you saved! This loosens everything right back up.
I always store leftovers in an airtight glass container because I find they hold heat better than plastic. Because of the dairy, I wouldn’t recommend freezing this one, but keeping it in the fridge for three or four days is totally fine!
Frequently Asked Questions About Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato A Cozy Delight
I always get questions whenever I post this recipe because people want to make sure they get that perfect creamy texture! Here are some of the things I hear most often about making the best sausage pasta dinner.
Can I make this Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato A Cozy Delight vegetarian?
That’s a fun challenge! Since the sausage is such a core flavor, you’d need a good substitute. You could use hearty mushrooms, like cremini or shiitake, and give them a really good hard sear in olive oil until they are nicely browned to mimic the savory depth of the meat. You’d skip step two and start by cooking the mushrooms in the oil. It won’t be the exact same, but it still makes a lovely sweet potato dinner!
How long does it actually take to make this meal?
I promise I designed this to be speedy! The prep time is only about 15 minutes because we’re just chopping the sweet potato and onion. The cook time is right around 25 minutes while the pasta boils and the sauce simmers. So, you’re looking at about 40 minutes total from start-to-finish. It seriously flies by!
Is this Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato A Cozy Delight freezer-friendly?
I mentioned this earlier, but I wanted to reiterate: I do not recommend freezing this one. Whenever you freeze and thaw creamy sauces made with heavy cream and cheese, the texture often breaks down, making it grainy or watery when you reheat it. It’s so much better fresh!
What is the best kind of pasta to use here?
I love using anything that has ridges or scoops well to grab that thick sauce! Penne is my top pick, like I mentioned in the ingredients. Rotini works great too because those spirals hold onto the sweet potato bits and sausage wonderfully. Just make sure you cook whatever you choose until it’s perfectly al dente!
If you love other cozy pasta dishes, you absolutely have to try the recipe for creamy Zuppa Toscana, which has a similar warm, comforting vibe!
Nutritional Estimates for Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato A Cozy Delight
I always get asked about the numbers, and while I’m not a certified nutritionist, I track these things because, hey, it’s good to know what’s going into those cozy bowls! These estimates are based on using the standard ingredients listed—regular Italian sausage and penne pasta—for one serving size.
Remember, these are just guides! If you swap in turkey sausage or use less cheese, your numbers will change. Think of this as a baseline for your delicious sausage pasta dinner.
- Calories: Around 650 per serving
- Fat: About 35 grams total (with 15 grams coming from saturated fat)
- Carbohydrates: Roughly 55 grams, which includes the fiber from that lovely sweet potato!
- Protein: A solid 30 grams to keep you full!
- Sodium: It runs around 750mg—we use salty sausage and Parmesan, so keep that in mind!
Take these numbers with a grain of salt, okay? The real magic here is the flavor and comfort, not the absolute precision of the macros. If you make major swaps, definitely run your own totals!
Print
Creamy Sausage Pasta With Sweet Potato
- Total Time: 40 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A simple recipe for pasta mixed with sausage and sweet potato in a creamy sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 12 ounces pasta (penne or rotini recommended)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Remove sausage and set aside, leaving rendered fat in the skillet.
- Add diced sweet potato to the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Return sausage to the skillet. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sweet potato is tender, about 5-8 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute turkey sausage for a lighter option.
- For a richer flavor, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 750
- Fat: 35
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 20
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 90
Keywords: creamy pasta, sausage, sweet potato, comfort food, easy dinner