Enjoy this Italian Sausage Pappardelle tossed in a lemon cream sauce with sweet English peas. This easy pasta dish comes together quickly, perfect for both weeknights and weekend meals.
Pappardelle has always been one of my favorite pasta shapes. Whenever I saw pappardelle with sausage on an Italian restaurant menu, there was a good chance I would order it. I love how the wide ribbons of pasta hold onto every bit of the creamy sauce, and the savory sausage makes it even more satisfying.
Since English peas are still in season, I decided to add them to this pasta for a touch of sweetness and color. I also finished the sauce with fresh lemon juice and garnished with some Italian parsley because I can never resist adding lemon and herbs to a dish.
What You Need
- 4 oz pappardelle pasta – The wide ribbons of pappardelle are perfect for capturing the creamy sauce and bits of sausage in every bite.
- 3 sweet Italian sausages, casing removed and cut into bite-sized pieces – Removing the casing allows the sausage to brown evenly and blend into the sauce.
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 cup English peas (thawed if using frozen) – Sweet peas provide freshness, color, and a touch of sweetness that balances the richness of the sausage and cream sauce.
- ⅔ cup milk or half-and-half
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Juice of ½ lemon – Fresh lemon juice brightens the entire dish and keeps the sauce from feeling too heavy.
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
How to Make This Easy Pasta
First, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned.
Next, add the butter and diced onion. Sauté until the onion becomes soft and translucent, scraping up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pappardelle according to package directions. Before draining, reserve ¼ to ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Once the pasta is cooked, reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the peas to the sausage mixture and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Then stir in the milk or half-and-half, reserved pasta water, and Parmesan cheese. Le the sauce simmer gently until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy.
Once the sauce has thickened slightly, add the lemon juice and stir to combine.
Finally, add the cooked pappardelle and toss until the pasta is fully coated in the sauce. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, then garnish with chopped Italian parsley and serve immediately.
Tips for Best Results
- Do not overcook the peas. They only need a few minutes to warm through while maintaining their bright color and sweetness.
- Lower the heat before adding the milk or half-and-half to help prevent curdling. Reserve some pasta water before draining. The starch helps create a silky sauce that clings to the pasta.
- Use grated Parmesan cheese for the smoothest texture and best flavor.
- Add the lemon juice at the end of cooking to preserve its fresh, bright flavor.
How to Serve Italian Sausage Pappardelle
Serve this pasta in your favorite shallow pasta bowl and finish with freshly ground black pepper, extra Parmesan cheese, and a sprinkle of Italian parsley.
For this meal, I chose the beautiful Blue Asiatic Pheasants pattern from Burleigh Pottery. The timeless blue-and-white design is so perfect with the vibrant colors of the pasta.
Pair this pasta with one of these fresh salads to complete the meal:
More Delicious Pasta Recipes
Creamy Italian Sausage Pappardelle
Ingredients
- 4 oz pappardelle pasta
- 3 sweet italian sausages, casing removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 cup english peas (thawed if using frozen)
- ⅔ cup milk, or half and half
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- juice of ½ lemon
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped italian parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned. Add the butter and diced onion. Sauté until the onion becomes soft and translucent, scraping up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pappardelle according to package directions. Reserve ¼ to ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the peas to the sausage mixture and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in the milk or half-and-half, reserved pasta water, and Parmesan cheese. Simmer gently until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy.
- Add the lemon juice and stir to combine. Add the cooked pappardelle and toss until the pasta is fully coated in the sauce.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped Italian parsley and serve immediately.