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    Home » Main Dishes

    Published: Jan 24, 2023 by Anna · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Creamy Sausage Gemelli Pasta

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    This Creamy Sausage Gemelli Pasta recipe is a family favorite! Tender pasta, savory sausage, meaty mushrooms and fragrant thyme are all smothered in a decadent white wine cream sauce for an easy, comforting dinner you'll be proud to serve family and friends.

    Dutch oven filled with creamy sausage gemelli pasta.

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    You won't hear a complaint about dinner when this Creamy Sausage Gemelli Pasta is on the menu. This family favorite pasta recipe is pure comfort food.

    A warm bowl of this creamy pasta dish tastes like it's been simmering away all day on the stove. A velvety white wine cream sauce coats every nook and cranny of the gemelli pasta and is tossed with zesty Italian sausage, tender mushrooms and fresh thyme leaves. Add a spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and this flavorful, crowd-pleasing dinner is served!

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • FAQs
    • Expert tips for making Creamy Sausage Gemelli Pasta
    • Substitutions and Shortcuts
    • More popular pasta recipes
    • Recipe

    Why you'll love this recipe

    ➤ Easy, flavorful comfort food: This creamy pasta recipe is simple enough for a weeknight dinner but fancy enough for company.

    ➤ Restaurant quality meal: Small things elevate this recipe from average to outstanding like the spiral-shaped gemelli pasta and a white wine reduction that adds extra flavor to the smooth and creamy sauce.

    ➤ Make ahead: Yes, you can make pasta dishes ahead of time! Both the sauce and the pasta can be made in advance when you are running short on time. See make ahead instructions below in the Shortcuts and Substitutions section.

    Ingredients

    You can find everything you need for this gemelli pasta recipe in one trip to the grocery store.

    Gemelli pasta, Italian sausage, cream and white wine to make sausage and gemelli pasta recipe.

    A few ingredient notes:

    Pasta: Gemelli is a twisted pasta made by twirling two strands of pasta around each other. De Cecco, Colavita and Barilla are just some of the brands that make gemelli pasta.

    Sausage: I used bulk mild Italian Sausage with the casings removed.

    Mushrooms: My go-to mushrooms are baby bellas, but white button mushrooms or any variety of wild mushrooms will also work in this recipe.

    Cream: The white wine cream sauce gets its flavor and texture from heavy cream. Don't be tempted to use milk instead. The result won't be the same.

    Wine: Dry white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay work well.

    Thyme: Fresh herbs give this pasta the best flavor and are worth buying for this recipe. Thyme and rosemary are my favorites for this pasta.

    Instructions

    I usually start cooking the white wine cream sauce first so it has time to simmer and reduce before making the gemelli pasta.

    Dutch oven with browned sausage.

    Heat dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until lightly browned but not fully cooked, breaking it up as you cook it.

    Dutch oven with browned sausage, mushrooms and shallots.

    Stir in the shallots and mushrooms and cook until vegetables are soft and sausage is cooked through.

    Dutch oven with browned sausage, mushrooms, shallots, white wine and bay leaf.

    Pour in wine and stir in bay leaf. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 15-20 minutes.

    Dutch oven with browned sausage, mushrooms and shallots and reduced wine sauce.

    It should look something like this. Meanwhile, while wine is reducing, make pasta according to package directions.

    Dutch oven with white wine cream sauce and sausage.
    Dutch oven filled with creamy sausage gemelli pasta.

    Stir in cream, thyme, crushed red pepper and nutmeg, if using. Cook for about 5-7 minutes to slightly thicken sauce.

    Stir cooked pasta into sauce. Ladle into bowls and serve with grated Parmesan cheese and extra red pepper flakes.

    Cream plate of creamy sausage gemelli pasta with a green and beige striped towel.

    FAQs

    How do you reheat creamy pasta?

    Leftover gemelli can be refrigerated for up to three days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave over medium heat. Stir in a bit of milk or cream if needed during reheating to keep the sauce nice and creamy.

    What white wine is good for cream sauce?

    No need to break the bank here. Any dry white wine works well in a cream sauce. I like using either Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay but a crisp Pinot Gris or drier Pinot Grigio can work, too. Just be sure to choose a wine that you enjoy because the flavor of the reduced wine is infused in the sauce.

    Can you freeze creamy pasta?

    Pastas with a cream base do not always freeze well as the sauce may separate and become grainy so I don't recommend freezing this dish for later.

    Expert tips for making Creamy Sausage Gemelli Pasta

    ✔︎ Cook pasta to al dente. You want tender pasta with just a bit of chew. This is important because the pasta continues to cook a bit in the pan as the sauce thickens.

    ✔︎ The easiest way to break up the sausage as it cooks is to use a meat masher. Works with all types of ground meats!

    ✔︎ The white wine can take up to 20 minutes to reduce so plan the rest of your meal accordingly. I start the sauce before the pasta so they are done at about the same time.

    ✔︎ Any type of dry white wine works for this recipe. I used Sauvignon Blanc but choose your favorite.

    ✔︎ Cook the sauce over medium heat for at least 5 minutes after you add the cream to thicken it. This is not a thick, Alfredo-type of sauce made with a flour roux, so know it will be naturally thinner but shouldn't be soupy.

    ✔︎ Want to add more veggies to this dish? Chopped spinach, kale or arugula would all work well.

    ✔︎ Serve crushed red pepper flakes on the side if you want to add spice to individual servings.

    Two cream plates of creamy sausage and mushroom pasta.

    Substitutions and Shortcuts

    ✘ Make pasta up to two days ahead of time. Reserve ⅓ cup of pasta water in case you need to add it to the sauce when you make it. Cook pasta to al dente and drain well. Toss gemelli with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking. Cool completely before storing covered in refrigerator.

    ✘ Make the sauce up to two days ahead of time. Cool completely, place in a sealed container and refrigerate.

    ✘ Gently reheat any sauce made ahead of time on the stovetop before tossing with pasta. You may need to add reserved pasta water or milk if the sauce is too thick.

    ✘ Use a hot Italian sausage if you prefer more spice. Or a sweet Italian sausage for a slightly different flavor.

    ✘ Can't find gemelli pasta? Swap in fusilli instead. This creamy sausage pasta sauce will work with nearly any shape of pasta you have on hand, including linguine, gnocchi and ravioli.

    ✘ The white wine can be replaced with equal parts chicken or vegetable broth and reduced according to recipe directions.

    ✘ Don't have shallots? Use a small chopped onion instead.

    ✘ Fresh herbs give the best flavor, but you can also substitute dried herbs in a pinch.

    ✘ You can use half and half instead of heavy cream but the flavor won't be quite as rich and the sauce will be thinner. Milk doesn't give the same richness to the sauce and is not recommended.

    ✘ If you can, spring for the wedge of fresh Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and grate it (with a microplane grater) over each bowl of pasta for the perfect finishing touch.

    More popular pasta recipes

    • lasagna in white baking dish.
      No Boil Lasagna
    • A bowl of pumpkin pasta with sage garnish.
      Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce with Sausage & Sage
    • Spicy tilapia in bowl with basil.
      Spicy Tilapia Recipe with Pasta

    You can find all of our easy dinner recipes in our archives.

    
    
    Did you make this recipe? We'd love to hear your thoughts! 
    
    Please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Your feedback helps us and your fellow readers! 
    
    
    

    Recipe

    Cream and brown speckled plate filled with sausage and gemelli pasta.

    Creamy Sausage Gemelli Pasta

    Garnish With Lemon
    You won't hear a complaint about dinner when this Creamy Sausage Gemelli Pasta is on the menu. This family favorite pasta recipe is pure comfort food.
    4.80 from 10 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Course Main Dishes
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 1059 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Meat Masher
    • Silicone Measuring Cups
    • Dutch Oven

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound bulk mild Italian Sausage
    • 2 small shallots, finely diced
    • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
    • 1 ½ cups dry white wine
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 12 ounces dry gemelli pasta, or any medium shape pasta
    • 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
    • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
    • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
    • Pinch nutmeg, optional
    • Grated Parmesan cheese

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    Instructions
     

    • Heat a dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until lightly browned but not fully cooked, stirring to crumble. Add shallots and mushrooms and cook until shallots and mushrooms are soft and sausage is fully cooked.
      1 pound bulk mild Italian Sausage, 2 small shallots,, 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
    • Add wine and bay leaf to pan with sausage, shallots and mushrooms, and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 15-20 minutes
      1 ½ cups dry white wine, 1 bay leaf
    • While wine is reducing, prepare pasta according to package directions, reserving ⅓ cup cooking liquid. Drain and set aside.
      12 ounces dry gemelli pasta,
    • Add cream, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes and nutmeg to wine-sausage mixture in pan and stir to combine. Continue to cook for about 5-7 minutes to slightly thicken sauce. Add cooked pasta to the sausage sauce and stir until combined and heated through. If necessary, thin sauce with reserved cooking liquid, one tablespoon at a time.
      1 ¼ cups heavy cream, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes,, Pinch nutmeg,
    • Serve with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese and extra crushed red pepper flakes.
      Grated Parmesan cheese

    Notes

    • If you can't find gemelli, use fusilli (or any other medium shaped pasta) instead. 
    • You can use mild or hot Italian sausage. 
    • A dry white wine works best in this recipe. I used a Sauvignon Blanc. 
    • The white wine can be replaced with chicken or vegetable broth and reduced according to recipe directions. 
    • If you don't have shallots, you can use half of a small onion instead. 
    • Fresh rosemary also works well in place of the fresh thyme. 
    • Baby bella mushrooms were used to test this recipe but you can use whatever kind you prefer. 

    Storage:

    Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. This pasta does not freeze well as the cream sauce tends to separate and become a bit grainy after the freezing/defrosting process. 

    Make Ahead Suggestions:

    • Make pasta up to two days ahead of time. Reserve ⅓ cup of pasta water in case you need to add it to the sauce when you make it.  Cook  pasta to al dente and drain well.  Toss gemelli with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking. Cool completely before storing covered in refrigerator.
    • Make the sauce up to two days ahead of time. Cool completely, place in a sealed container and refrigerate. Gently reheat on the stovetop before tossing with pasta. You may need to add the reserved pasta water or milk if the sauce is too thick.
     

    VIDEO

    Nutrition

    Serving: 6ouncesCalories: 1059kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 32gFat: 64gSaturated Fat: 30gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 170mgSodium: 867mgPotassium: 849mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1253IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 110mgIron: 4mg

    Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.

    Did you make this recipe?Tag us on Instagram or leave a comment!
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    About Anna

    Hi, I’m Anna, a former corporate communications nerd turned food fanatic. Turns out I like cooking for others A LOT more than explaining HR policies to them. C’mon over!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Katharine Ashburn says

      September 06, 2020 at 2:52 pm

      What can I use instead of wine?

      Reply
      • Anna says

        September 06, 2020 at 3:11 pm

        Hi Katharine, you can swap in an equal amount of chicken broth if you prefer. Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Dr B says

      July 22, 2016 at 7:47 pm

      Nice to have zero leftovers
      I tweaked a bit with the addition of garlic and truffle oil took it to a whole new level
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Anna says

        July 23, 2016 at 9:46 am

        Yum! Sounds tasty!

        Reply
    3. Jane says

      December 21, 2014 at 6:50 pm

      I went looking on Google for a recipe that had sausage, mushrooms and cream and pasta because that's what i had around, and immediately found yours. Just what i was craving! And it is absolutely fabulous.

      After doing it a couple of times, I would just suggest if you don't want it to be soupy, cook down the wine to more of a syrup, and then cook the cream down some. The pasta will absorb a lot of the liquid, but maybe not by the time you want to eat it, which is instantly!

      Very happy to say the leftovers, if there are any, reheat beautifully in the microwave.

      Congratulations. This is brilliant, and so very simple.

      Reply
      • Anna says

        December 22, 2014 at 8:42 am

        Jane, thanks so much for stopping back to leave your kind words. Love your tips for the dish, too!

        Reply
    4. Jen says

      October 13, 2013 at 7:16 pm

      I made this tonight with spinach linguine and chicken sausage. It was delicious! Thanks for the inspiration.

      Reply
      • Anna says

        October 13, 2013 at 7:20 pm

        So glad you created a dish perfect for you! Thanks for coming back and letting us know how it turned out.

        Reply
    5. Mushrooms Canada says

      October 09, 2013 at 8:06 am

      I love the flavours in this comforting meal! Thanks for sharing!!

      -Shannon

      Reply
    4.80 from 10 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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