Creamy Mascarpone Sausage Pasta is what happens when a French upbringing and an Italian pantry end up in the same pan. Italian chicken sausage browned until deeply caramelized, a sauce built on chicken bone broth, mascarpone, Dijon mustard, and Parmigiano Reggiano, tossed with rigatoni cooked two minutes shy of al dente so it finishes in the sauce and absorbs every bit of that creamy, deeply savory base.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Creamy Mascarpone Sausage Pasta
🕒 Ready In: ~ 20 minutes
👪 Serves: 5 servings
🍽 Calories: ~ 717 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Rigatoni, mascarpone, chicken Italian sausage, chicken bone broth, Parmigiano Reggiano
👌 Difficulty: Easy
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The Dijon mustard is my French side showing up uninvited in an Italian pasta and staying because it belongs there haha! Growing up in Paris, where Dijon is as essential to the kitchen as butter, adding it to a creamy sauce is second nature. It adds a sharp, tangy depth that cuts through the richness of the mascarpone and makes the whole sauce taste more complex than a simple cream pasta has any right to be.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
One pan sauce that comes together in 15 minutes while the pasta cooks alongside it.
Mascarpone instead of heavy cream. Silkier, richer, and more complex than any cream sauce you have made before.
The Dijon mustard is the secret. It adds a sharp tangy depth that cuts through the richness and makes people ask what is in this sauce.
Rigatoni finishes cooking in the sauce. Every ridge and hollow absorbs the creamy mascarpone base so no bite is under-flavored.
Creamy Mascarpone Sausage Pasta Video
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Ingredient Notes
Italian Chicken Sausage: The same technique from my Chicken and Chorizo Orzo and my Cauliflower and Chicken Sausage Bake. Italian chicken sausage is leaner than pork but still packed with fennel and herb flavors that form the base of this sauce.
Mascarpone: Mascarpone is a fresh Italian cream cheese from the Lombardy region of Northern Italy made by curdling cream with citric acid. It has a buttery, slightly sweet richness that is completely different from cream cheese or ricotta and it melts into a sauce beautifully without being heavy.
Dijon Mustard: Adds a sharp, tangy complexity to a cream sauce that makes it taste like something from a proper French bistro rather than a standard Italian pasta. Don't worry, It does not taste like mustard in the finished dish. It is the same move I use in my Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes marinade for the same reason.
Parmigiano Reggiano: Parmigiano Reggiano melts smoothly into the mascarpone base and adds a deep nutty, savory finish that amplifies everything the mascarpone is doing. Season with salt and pepper only after both cheeses are fully incorporated because the Parmigiano adds significant salt on its own.
Chicken Bone Broth: Chicken bone broth adds more body and richness than regular chicken broth. The chicken bouillon dissolved into the broth doubles down on that savory depth. If you only have regular chicken broth, it works, but the sauce will be slightly thinner and less rich.
Rigatoni: Rigatoni is the perfect pasta for this sauce because the ridges on the outside and the hollow tube inside trap the creamy mascarpone sauce in every single piece. The starch in the pasta water emulsifies the sauce and keeps it silky rather than greasy as it sits. Use a good quality pasta here. Look for 100 percent durum wheat semolina with a slightly rough porous surface that grips the sauce.
Pro tip
The Secret to Perfect Pasta
Season only after both cheeses are fully incorporated. The Parmigiano Reggiano adds significant salt to the sauce and you will almost always need less added salt than you expect. Taste first and season from there.
Substitutions & Variations
No mascarpone? Heavy cream works too but the sauce will be thinner and less silky.
No chicken Italian sausage? Pork Italian sausage gives you a slightly richer, more traditional flavor. Whatever you use, make sure it has good seasoning and remove the casings before cooking.
No rigatoni? Penne, ziti, or any short ridged pasta works well here. The ridges are important for holding the sauce. Smooth pasta like ziti will work but will not grip the sauce as well per bite.
Want more heat? Double the red pepper flakes or add a tablespoon of Calabrian chili paste with the garlic. The heat works beautifully against the richness of the mascarpone.
FAQ
The mascarpone was added over too high a heat or was stirred too aggressively. Reduce the heat to medium-low before the mascarpone goes in, and stir gently until it melts gradually. If the sauce looks grainy, add a splash of pasta water and stir vigorously to bring it back together.
Two things usually cause this. First, too much pasta water was added at once rather than a quarter cup at a time. The pasta water should be added gradually so you have control over the final consistency. Second, the pasta was not simmered in the sauce long enough. The 3 to 4 minute simmer after the pasta goes in is what allows the rigatoni to absorb the sauce. If the sauce still looks too loose after simmering, increase the heat slightly and let it reduce for another 2 minutes before adding any more pasta water. The Parmigiano Reggiano also thickens the sauce significantly once it melts in so make sure it is fully incorporated before deciding the sauce needs adjusting.
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⭐️ Recipe
Creamy Mascarpone Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb rigatoni cooked 2 minutes short of al dente, 1 cup pasta water reserved
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 lb Italian chicken sausage casings removed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1.5 cups chicken bone broth
- ½ tablespoon chicken bouillon
- 6 oz mascarpone
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano plus more for serving
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste after cheese is added
Instructions
Cook the pasta
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni for 3 minutes less than the package's al dente instructions. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce. Before draining, reserve a full cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.1 lb rigatoni
Brown the sausage
- Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken sausage with the casings removed and spread into an even layer. Cook undisturbed for 4 minutes until a deep golden sear develops on the bottom. Break the sausage into crumbles and continue cooking until fully browned and cooked through.1 lb Italian chicken sausage, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Build the sauce
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced shallot to the pan with all the sausage drippings and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and Dijon mustard. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.1 shallot, 3 garlic cloves, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp red pepper flakes, 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- Pour in the chicken bone broth and add the chicken bouillon. Stir to combine and scrape up any caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan. That fond is pure flavor.1.5 cups chicken bone broth, ½ tbsp chicken bouillon
- Reduce the heat to medium low. Add the mascarpone and stir gently until it melts completely into the broth and the sauce looks smooth and silky. Do not rush this step and do not increase the heat. Gentle heat is what keeps the mascarpone from separating.6 oz mascarpone
Finish the pasta
- Add the cooked sausage back to the pan. Add the drained rigatoni and toss to coat everything in the sauce. Let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes so the pasta absorbs the sauce and finishes cooking through.
- Add the freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and stir until completely melted into the sauce. Taste now before adding any salt. The Parmigiano adds significant salt on its own and you will almost always need less than you expect. Season with salt and black pepper accordingly.½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, Salt and black pepper to taste
- Add the reserved pasta water a quarter cup at a time, stirring between each addition, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Silky and coating the pasta is what you are going for. Not soupy, not dry.1 cup reserved pasta water
Serve
- Top generously with fresh chopped parsley and extra Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve immediately while the sauce is still silky and the pasta is hot.½ cup fresh parsley
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!