Winter Pasta with Mushrooms, Sausage Meatballs, Walnuts & Crispy Sage
This is the perfect winter pasta recipe to take you through those cold weather months. Grab a big bowl and curl up in front of the fireplace or TV to enjoy this winter pasta with sausage.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 25 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 8 oz. sweet Italian sausage ((225g))
- extra virgin olive oil
- 8 oz. dried short cut pasta ((225g, such as farfalle or rigatoni))
- 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 lb mushrooms ((450g, such as cremini, shiitake, oyster, or chanterelles))
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 3 cloves garlic ((chopped))
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream ((120 ml))
- ½ cup toasted walnuts
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley ((chopped))
- shaved parmesan or romano cheese
Instructions
- 1
Remove the sausage from the casings, and form into small meatballs. In a skillet, add a tablespoon of olive oil and fry the meatballs until browned, crisp, and cooked through. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
- 2
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta and cook according to package instructions, undercooking the pasta by 1-2 minutes. Drain, reserving about a cup of the cooking liquid.
- 3
Meanwhile, add another tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and add the sage. Once the sage is crisp, remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet and cook the mushrooms until caramelized, along with the fresh thyme. Add the garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3 minutes.
- 4
Add the half and half, along with the pasta, meatballs, and parsley. If the sauce needs to be loosened up a bit, add a bit of the reserved pasta water until you reach the desired consistency. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the crispy sage, walnuts, and cheese. Serve!