Creamy Sausage Pasta

Ingredients

  • 4 cups macaroni
  • 1 teaspoon salt – more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 pound boerewors
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 teaspoons minced garlic
  • ½-1 cup sliced mushrooms – see note
  • 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • cracked black pepper – to taste
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese – optional
  • fresh parsley or thyme for garnish – optional

Method

  1. In a deep skillet, or pot, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Stir in macaroni along with 1 teaspoon salt. Boil 6-9 minutes until fork-tender. Drain, toss with 1 teaspoon oil, and set aside.
  2. In the same skillet you used for the pasta (or a new one if you used a pot) cook sausage over medium-high heat, breaking up with a spoon or spatula as it cooks, for 6-8 minutes or until completely browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
  3. Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the pan. Once melted, stir in garlic 1-2 minutes til fragrant. Add mushrooms and saute 3-4 minutes until very tender.
  4. Stir in chicken broth and heavy cream and simmer over medium-low heat until reduced (about 5-10 minutes).
  5. Stir in cooked sausage and noodles. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with parmesan and parsley or thyme if desired and serve.