Saucy Sausage and Lemon Pasta is the perfect weeknight dinner, combining savory sausage with the bright, zesty flavor of lemon. This hearty dish is made with paccheri pasta, a rich creamy sauce, and a touch of heat from chili flakes, making it a comforting, flavorful meal. Easy to prepare, it’s a satisfying dish that everyone will love.
Full Recipe:
Ingredients
- 250g dry paccheri pasta (or your favorite pasta shape)
- 400g sausages or sausage meat
- 2 shallots (or 1 small brown onion)
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 large lemon (zested and juiced)
- 1–2 tsp chili flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 300 ml pasta water
- 70g Parmesan cheese, grated
- 60 ml crème fraîche or double cream
- 15g fresh parsley, chopped
- Cooking oil
Directions
- Cook the Sausage:
- Heat a large stainless steel or carbon steel sauté pan over high heat.
- Add a drizzle of cooking oil and remove the sausage from its casing.
- Break the sausage into crumbles and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally to get a nice golden brown sear on the sausage meat.
- Prepare the Ingredients:
- While the sausage cooks, chop the parsley, dice the shallot, and slice the garlic.
- Boil a pot of water for the pasta, using less water than usual to create starchy water for the sauce.
- Add the Vegetables and Spices:
- Turn the heat to medium-high and add the chopped shallot and fennel seeds to the pan with the sausage.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes until the shallot softens.
- Cook the Pasta:
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions.
- Finish the Sauce:
- Zest the lemon into the pan, then add the chili flakes and sliced garlic. Stir for 1 minute until the garlic softens, then squeeze the lemon juice into the pan.
- Once the pasta is al dente, drain, reserving 500ml of pasta water.
- Add the pasta to the sausage pan along with 200ml of pasta water, crème fraîche, and Parmesan.
- Toss the pasta to combine with the sauce, adding more pasta water if needed to achieve a creamy, glossy texture.
- Serve:
- Taste and adjust with more lemon juice or seasoning as needed.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Nutrients (Per Serving)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Protein: 23g
- Fat: 20g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
The Ideal Balance of Savory and Zesty Flavors
One of the standout features of Saucy Sausage and Lemon Pasta is the perfect balance of savory, spicy, and zesty flavors. The sausage, with its rich, meaty flavor, serves as the base for the sauce, offering a hearty foundation that complements the fresh, vibrant flavor of lemon. The addition of fennel seeds and chili flakes introduces an aromatic depth and a touch of heat, enhancing the overall taste profile.
The brightness from the lemon zest and juice cuts through the richness of the sausage, adding a refreshing contrast that makes the dish feel light and lively despite its creamy base. It’s this balance of flavors that makes Saucy Sausage and Lemon Pasta a standout, ensuring that every bite is both comforting and exciting.
Why Paccheri Pasta Works Perfectly
While you can use any pasta for this dish, paccheri is the ideal choice. This large, tube-shaped pasta holds sauce in a way that smaller pasta shapes can’t, allowing each bite to be packed with flavor. The wide surface area of paccheri gives the creamy sauce a chance to cling to each piece of pasta, ensuring that every mouthful is a delightful combination of sausage, lemon, and richness.
The chewy texture of paccheri also complements the hearty sausage, giving the dish a satisfying, rustic quality. If paccheri isn’t available, you can substitute with other hearty pasta shapes like rigatoni or penne, but paccheri truly enhances the dining experience by providing a more substantial texture.
The Role of Sausage in This Dish
The sausage is the star of this dish, and its flavor infuses the entire sauce. Using sausage meat instead of whole sausages allows you to break it up into crumbles, ensuring that every bite contains a bit of sausage. As the sausage cooks in the pan, it crisps up beautifully, creating golden-brown bits that add texture and flavor to the dish. The crumbled sausage gives the sauce a meaty base that’s rich and savory, providing the perfect contrast to the bright lemon and creamy elements.
When cooking the sausage, it’s important to give it time to develop a nice golden sear. This searing process adds depth to the sausage’s flavor, making the dish even more satisfying. You can use any type of sausage for this recipe, though a fennel-flavored or spicy sausage works particularly well, as it complements the fennel seeds and chili flakes in the sauce.
Creating a Creamy, Flavorful Sauce
The creamy sauce in Saucy Sausage and Lemon Pasta is made from a combination of pasta water, crème fraîche (or double cream), and parmesan cheese, which gives the dish its luxurious texture. Pasta water is a key ingredient in creating a smooth, glossy sauce. The starch from the pasta water helps the sauce adhere to the pasta, ensuring that it’s creamy but not too heavy. Adding just the right amount of pasta water helps achieve a silky consistency that coats the pasta perfectly.
The crème fraîche or double cream adds richness and creaminess without making the sauce too thick, while the parmesan cheese provides an umami boost, making the sauce savory and comforting. The parmesan also helps to bind the sauce together, giving it a velvety finish. As the pasta and sausage come together with the sauce, the flavors meld into a harmonious and satisfying dish that’s both hearty and fresh.
A Touch of Heat with Chili Flakes
Chili flakes add a subtle heat to Saucy Sausage and Lemon Pasta, giving it an extra layer of depth. The amount of chili flakes used can be adjusted depending on your spice tolerance, but just a pinch adds a nice kick without overpowering the other flavors. The heat from the chili flakes works particularly well with the richness of the sausage and the freshness of the lemon, enhancing the overall flavor profile.
If you prefer a milder version, you can skip the chili flakes or reduce the amount. Conversely, for a spicier version, feel free to increase the amount of chili flakes to suit your preference. The versatility of the chili flakes makes this dish customizable to your taste.
The Freshness of Lemon and Herbs
Lemon is the key ingredient in Saucy Sausage and Lemon Pasta that brightens the dish and adds a refreshing contrast to the rich sausage and creamy sauce. The zest of the lemon gives the dish a fragrant, citrusy punch, while the lemon juice adds a tangy, acidic note that cuts through the richness of the other ingredients. The fresh zest also enhances the aroma of the dish, making it as delightful to smell as it is to eat.
In addition to the lemon, fresh herbs like parsley bring a burst of color and freshness to the dish. Parsley complements the other flavors, adding a mild, herbaceous note that balances the richness of the sauce. The herbs also bring a pop of color to the final dish, making it visually appealing as well as delicious.
Why This Dish is Perfect for Weeknights
Saucy Sausage and Lemon Pasta is the ultimate weeknight dinner for several reasons. First, it’s incredibly quick and easy to prepare, making it ideal for busy evenings when you want something hearty and satisfying without spending too much time in the kitchen. The dish comes together in about 30 minutes, from cooking the sausage to finishing the sauce and tossing it with the pasta. It’s simple, yet the flavors are complex enough to make it feel special.
Additionally, this pasta is versatile and adaptable to different ingredients. You can switch up the sausage for a leaner meat, or even use a vegetarian sausage alternative. The fresh lemon and herbs can be adjusted depending on availability or personal preference, allowing you to tailor the dish to what you have on hand.
Serving and Pairing Saucy Sausage and Lemon Pasta
This pasta is best served immediately, with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan and a handful of fresh parsley for garnish. The creamy sauce and hearty sausage make it a filling meal on its own, but it also pairs wonderfully with a side salad or some garlic bread to round out the meal. A light, crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc pairs beautifully with the dish, balancing the richness of the sauce with a refreshing acidity.
Conclusion
Saucy Sausage and Lemon Pasta is the perfect weeknight meal that combines rich, savory flavors with a bright, zesty punch. The combination of crumbled sausage, creamy sauce, and the refreshing zing of lemon creates a satisfying, flavorful dish that is sure to become a family favorite. The dish is quick and easy to prepare, making it ideal for busy evenings, and it can be customized with your favorite sausage or herbs to suit your preferences. Whether you’re looking for a hearty dinner or a comforting meal to enjoy any night of the week, Saucy Sausage and Lemon Pasta is a delicious, go-to recipe that you’ll love making again and again.