Description
This Winter Pasta with Mushrooms, Sausage Meatballs, Walnuts & Crispy Sage is a comforting and flavorful dish perfect for chilly days. It features tender meatballs made from sweet Italian sausage, caramelized mushrooms with fresh herbs, crispy sage leaves, toasted walnuts, and a creamy sauce tossed with short-cut pasta. Finished with shaved parmesan or romano cheese, this hearty meal is easy to prepare and delivers a satisfying blend of textures and cozy autumnal flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage Meatballs
- 8 oz. sweet Italian sausage
- Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
Pasta and Sage
- 8 oz. dried short-cut pasta (such as farfalle or rigatoni)
- 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil, for frying sage
Mushroom Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 lb mushrooms (such as cremini, shiitake, oyster, or chanterelles), sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream
Finishing Touches
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Shaved parmesan or romano cheese, for topping
Instructions
- Form and Cook Sausage Meatballs: Remove the sweet Italian sausage from its casing and shape the meat into small, bite-sized meatballs. Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the meatballs until they are browned on the outside, crisp, and fully cooked through. Once done, remove them from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook Pasta and Fry Sage Leaves: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the dried short-cut pasta (such as farfalle or rigatoni) until al dente according to package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta cooking water for later. In the same skillet used for the meatballs, add a bit of extra virgin olive oil and fry the fresh sage leaves until they become crispy and aromatic. Remove the sage leaves and set aside.
- Caramelize Mushrooms: Add the butter to the skillet and let it melt over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms, fresh thyme leaves, chopped garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté the mushrooms for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown, caramelized, and tender.
- Finish the Dish: Pour the half and half or heavy cream into the skillet with the caramelized mushrooms, stirring to combine and create a creamy sauce. Add the cooked pasta, sausage meatballs, and chopped fresh parsley to the skillet. Toss everything together thoroughly, adding some reserved pasta water as needed to adjust the sauce consistency and help coat the pasta evenly.
- Serve: Transfer the finished pasta to a serving bowl. Top generously with the crispy sage leaves, toasted walnuts, and shaved parmesan or romano cheese. Serve immediately for a warm and comforting meal.
Notes
- Choose short-cut pasta shapes like farfalle or rigatoni to hold the creamy sauce well.
- Use a mix of mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, oyster, chanterelles) for added flavor complexity.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust the sauce thickness to your liking.
- For a richer flavor, heavy cream can be used instead of half and half.
- To toast walnuts, spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned.
- Make sure to cook sausage meatballs thoroughly to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) for safety.
