Smoked sausage, pasta and a creamy, cheesy sauce? Yes, please! This was actually my first venture into anything Alfredo and I’ve gotta say I’m pretty pleased with the result!
I’m half Italian but in my family it’s always been about the red sauce. Surprisingly in my 40 years, I’ve never once tasted Alfredo sauce. I figured that it was about time for that to finally change.
If you’re on Pinterest as much as I am, then you’ve probably seen as many Alfredo pasta recipes as I have. There are so many that look just too good to pass up.
Both hubby and I get stuck in the same food ruts with him being the ultra picky one. But one thing I can entice him with is sausage!
This Smoked Sausage Alfredo Pasta bake was so easy to make. All you need to do is start by boiling a box of your favorite pasta. Cook it just until it’s al dente. Run it under cold water and let it sit until you’re ready for it.
While the pasta is boiling away, make your garlicky, creamy smooth cheese sauce. Add the sliced rounds of smoked sausage and then the cooked pasta.
Pour everything into a baking dish and top it with some mozzarella cheese. Bake it for a few minutes just until the cheese is bubbling and it starts to get golden brown on top.
It tastes so good! It reminds me of a white macaroni and cheese with smoked sausage mixed throughout. It pairs really well with some good garlic bread.
This Alfredo pasta recipe calls for cayenne pepper for an added kick of flavor. It would be just as good without it though so feel free to leave it out if you wish.
Oh and in case you were curious, my super picky hubby loved it!
Ingredients:
- 16 oz pasta
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups (1 pint) half and half
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 12 oz fully cooked smoked sausage, any variety
Directions:
- Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 - 2 minutes. Stir in the flour.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until smooth and blended. Stir in the half and half.
- Add the salt, pepper and cayenne. Simmer until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese and 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella. Simmer until cheeses are melted and smooth.
- Slice sausage into 1/4 inch thick rounds and add to the sauce. Toss in the cooked pasta and stir until mixed.
- Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour pasta mixture into a baking dish sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 10 - 15 minutes or until cheese starts to brown.
Adapted from Let’s Dish.
I made this smoked sausage alfredo bake tonight. I added a drained can of corn. Sooo good!
Hi Sue, so glad you liked the recipe! Good idea adding the corn.
This looks soooo good! I think I’m going to make it tonight! My boyfriend is super picky as well, so I’m crossing my fingers he enjoys it. 😉
Hi Lindsey, hope the recipe worked out well for you. My husband is super picky as well and loved it. Good luck!
Did your hubby like it? Mine is super picky too.
Hi Rebeca. Yes, it was picky hubby approved!
Can this be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to bake?
Hi Katie. I don’t see why you couldn’t make it ahead of time.
I am certainly not handy in the kitchen. If i were to use jarred alferdo, would one jar be enough for this recipe?
Hi Meghan. One jar may be enough depending on how creamy you want the pasta to be. I would personally use a bit more.
Can I use fresh motzerall instead of shredded?
Hi Katelyn. You could use fresh mozzarella cheese for the top but I’ve never tried using fresh in a recipe that needs to be melted for a sauce. Not sure how that would work out so I can’t say yes for sure. Sorry I couldn’t be more help.
What size baking dish is best to use
A 9 x 13 pan will work great. The one I used here is smaller but deeper than a 9 x 13 pan.
This Alfredo sauce is to die for, it is so good! I think I will try using ham instead of the smoked sausage the next time I make it!
Thanks Lynnette, so glad you like it! I bet this would taste amazing with ham. Great idea!
I have made similar dishes but this recipe was delish! Served with steamed broccoli and leftover homemade french garlic bread. Hubby and 7 yr old loved! The baby, not so much lol.
Great to hear Megan! So glad your fam loved it.
Looking to make this for about 20 people. Tips? Can I use a bag of pre-shredded mozz cheese or does it not melt down as well?
For the mozzarella, I used bagged in mine and it works just fine. I’d probably make two batches for a group that big.
Also, how many servings does this make?
I’d say one batch serves about 6-8 people depending on how big your eaters are.
I don’t cook… ever…. and both my daughter and husband went back for seconds. I love it!!
That’s awesome Paige! Love hearing comments like these. Thanks for sharing!
Made it tonight..added 1/4 teaspoon of dry mustard..It cooked up perfect. It’s a keeper -:)
That’s great Lisa. Glad you liked it!
Oh Amanda, Thank you for this recipe. I was patient and slowly stirred my sauce until it came to a low simmer. I then let it simmer three minutes before adding the grated parmesan followed by the mozzarella. I now have the most amazing creamy thick sauce that I keep spooning over penne noodles while my husband finishes a small job outside. If he doesn’t hurry up there won’t be any noodles left for the casserole!
Haha! So glad you like it. It is a great sauce you could use in many ways. Enjoy!
Can it be made without the broth?
You could probably just use water instead. The broth will add some extra flavor.
Can I use the canned Parmesan cheese?
Absolutely!