Irresistibly delicious, this creamy sausage and tomato bowtie pasta is one of the easiest pasta dishes out there. Kids love it, too!
Despite the simplicity of the recipe, it tastes like something served at an Italian restaurant. Perfect for date night at home, a quick family supper, serving a crowd, or if you’re just in the mood for some comfort food.
When the cool night set in in the late summer and early fall, the smell and taste of a warm, hearty, creamy pasta dish makes home feel that much cozier. And if you have late-season tomatoes, or have some canned from your summer garden, they are a welcome addition.
This dish tastes gourmet, but is legitimately one of the easiest pasta dishes ever. Kids gobble it up, too.
Garnished with fresh parsley, it becomes as pretty as it is tasty. Feel free to dress it up with some shredded fresh Parmesan cheese, too (I mean, what is fresh Parmesan cheese NOT good on?!).
This recipe is great to serve alongside Tangy Bacon Avocado Salad.
For another tasty side, if you have the time and motivation to whip up some homemade bread, by all means, have at it! We usually keep it simple in our household by grabbing a box of garlic bread from the frozen food section and popping it in the oven for a few minutes. Fancy? No. Easy, quick and delicious? Oh yeah.
These bowties taste even better leftover the next day. The sauce thickens up the longer it sits as well, so if I expect to be short on time, I often make it a day ahead of serving.
Tips
- The sauce thickens as it sits, so consider letting it sit and rest on a warm (but not hot) burner for 10-15 minutes before serving. If you keep it on a hot burner, the pasta may overcook.
- This dish is arguably even better reheated the next day, making it a great make-ahead candidate for a gathering or special occasion.
- Be sure to drain your tomatoes as well as possible, because if the tomato juice mixes with the cream, it turns the sauce pinkish. It definitely doesn’t make it any less tasty; it just doesn’t look as nice.
- If you like mushrooms, they make a great addition to this recipe, for their taste, texture, and appearance. Sauté eight ounces of fresh sliced mushrooms with the onion.
- Substitute drained Italian style diced tomatoes for the whole tomatoes to save a little prep time.
- For a slightly lighter version of this dish, substitute half and half for the cream. If you prefer a thicker sauce, consider adding a little corn starch to the half and half before adding it to the sausage mixture. Start with a teaspoon of corn starch and add from there, if you prefer it thicker. It does, however, thicken a little as it sits.
- For easy garnishes, sprinkle some freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley on top when serving. They make the dish extra pretty, while adding freshness and flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I cook bow tie pasta?
Most boxed bowtie pastas instruct to cook the pasta in boiling water for 12 to 14 minutes. For al dente, shoot for 12 minutes. Try one before draining the pasta to make sure it’s cooked how you like it.
What is the other name for bowtie pasta?
You’ll also hear bowtie pasta called farfalle, which means “butterflies” in Italian.
I don’t like onion very well. Can I leave the onion out?
Although the onion and garlic both add awesome flavor to the dish, you can omit the onion.
What are the best sides for pasta dishes?
Try serving this pasta with garlic bread and a green salad, such as Tangy Bacon Avocado Salad. Green salads always make a wonderful side to pasta dishes!
Ingredients
1 lb. Italian sausage: Sausage in casings can be used, and arguably have better flavor and texture than ground Italian sausage. Be sure to remove the sausage from their casings before browning. Some have used turkey Italian sausage successfully to cut down on calories, but traditional Italian sausage is preferred.
1 Tbsp. olive oil: Pretty much any kind of oil can be used for browning the meat/onion/garlic mixture.
12-oz. box of bowtie pasta: This doesn’t require bowties, but if substituting for the bowties, use a pasta with a large surface area for better sauce distribution. For example, opt for large shells versus spaghetti.
1 yellow onion
3 or 4 cloves of garlic: Fresh garlic is always best!
28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes: Canned tomatoes work well, but if you have fresh tomatoes to peel and coarsely chop, even better.
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Garnishes (optional): Chopped fresh parsley and/or grated Parmesan cheese
How to make Creamy Sausage & Tomato Bowtie Pasta
- Cook the pasta according to directions on the box. Drain.
- While pasta is cooking, dice the onion and finely mince the garlic.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add Italian sausage and onion and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the sausage. Add the garlic and cook another minute or two.
- Drain the tomatoes well and coarsely chop them. Add cream, tomatoes, salt, and pepper to the sausage mixture.
- Combine pasta with the sausage/tomato mixture.
- Garnish with parsley, if desired.
- Enjoy!
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Creamy Sausage & Tomato Bowtie Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Italian sausage
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 12- oz. box of bowtie pasta
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 3 or 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 1/2 c. heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to directions on the box. Drain.
- While pasta is cooking, dice the onion and finely mince the garlic.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add Italian sausage and onion and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the sausage. Add the garlic and cook another minute or two.
- Drain the tomatoes well and coarsely chop them. Add cream, tomatoes, salt, and pepper to the sausage mixture.
- Combine pasta with the sausage/tomato mixture.
- Garnish with parsley, if desired.
- Enjoy!
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