Pasta with Sausage, Basil, and Mustard

Not all creamy pasta recipes need to be Alfredo. The mustard packs a punch — start with 2 tablespoons and add more to taste.

Ingredients

1 lb rigatoni or penne

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 1/2 lbs Italian sausage, casings removed

3/4 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup heavy cream

2–4 tbsp whole-grain mustard, to taste

1 cup pasta cooking water, reserved

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Pinch of crushed red pepper

Preparation

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of generously salted boiling water until al dente per package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water before draining. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until completely softened, about 5–7 minutes. Add the sausage, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon, and cook over medium-high heat until deeply browned, about 5 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

3. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water, the cream, mustard, butter, and crushed red pepper. Simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the pasta and basil and toss vigorously to coat, adding more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Taste and adjust mustard and seasoning. Serve immediately.

Notes

Inspired by Food & Wine.