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Spicy Smoked Sausage Alfredo Bake

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SPICY SMOKED SAUSAGE ALFREDO BAKE — Pasta and smoked sausage come together with a creamy, cheesy sauce in this quick and easy weeknight dinner.

Spicy Smoked Sausage Alfredo Bake

Every once in a while, I hit the recipe jackpot with my family and serve something that every single person at the table devours, while proclaiming with their mouths full of food, “This is good!” This Spicy Smoked Sausage Alfredo Bake was one of those recipes

And the best part–this crowd pleasing casserole is so easy to make. It didn’t even bother me that it was gone in half the time it took me to put it on the table.

Just made this. It was amazing! So yummy!!!! First time in awhile that all 5 members of my family liked the same dish! Thank you! ~ Becky

My boys are all huge fans of Alfredo, (this slow cooker Alfredo sauce is one of our favorites!), which is probably why they love this dish so much.

And I love that the sausage adds that extra bit of protein that so important for growing boys.

This dish is pretty much a winner all the way around!

Spicy Smoked Sausage Alfredo Bake

I also love that the recipe is so easily adaptable. You can use any kind of pasta in this dish, but I recommend a tube or spiral variety–shells would be good too.

My favorite pasta to use in this dish is cavatappi. It’s fancy and fun at the same time. Just use something sturdy to go along with all of the sliced sausage.

Second time making it, it’s delish! I left out the red pepper flakes to make it a little more kid friendly & they devoured it! Leftovers tasted great too.

This will definitely be made again. Might even add some broccoli next time. Thanks! ~ Rachel

You can switch up the sausage too, if you’d like. Just be aware that many varieties of sausage would need to be cooked ahead of time.

There are so many things you could add to this recipe too. Think mushrooms, bell peppers, etc., and of course, you could make a non-spicy version.

My family loved it as is, but feel free to experiment and adapt it to your tastes. I’ve had so many friends tell me they tried this creamy pasta dish and loved it.

Be sure to save this Spicy Smoked Sausage Alfredo Bake recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.

Spicy Smoked Sausage Alfredo Bake

Tips for Cooking Pasta

Use a big pot: Cook pasta in a large pot–big enough to hold 6 quarts of water per pound of pasta.

Salt: Generously season your cooking water with salt. A few teaspoons per quart of water is a good place to start. Although a little more or less is fine, depending on your preference.

Don’t overcook: Boil your pasta to until it is al dente, which means it’s cooked, but still a bit chewy. You’ll want to test your pasta for flavor and texture every 20 seconds or so during the last few minutes of cooking.

If you’ll continue cooking the pasta in a sauce, or baking it in the oven, remove the pot from the heat a few minutes before it’s done to prevent overcooking.

Here’s what you’ll need to make Spicy Smoked Sausage Alfredo Bake

  • Pasta
  • Butter
  • Produce: garlic, fresh parsley
  • Flour
  • Chicken broth
  • Half and Half
  • Spices: salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Smoked sausage
Spicy Smoked Sausage Alfredo Bake

Spicy Smoked Sausage Alfredo Bake

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Pasta and smoked sausage come together with a creamy, cheesy sauce in this quick and easy weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces dry pasta
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 (12 oz) fully cooked smoked sausage, any variety

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions until just al dente; drain.
  2. While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Stir in flour.
  3. Whisk in chicken broth until smooth, then stir in half and half.
  4. Add salt, pepper, cayenne, and red pepper flakes and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in Parmesan cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella until cheeses are melted and smooth.
  6. Slice sausage into 1/4 inch pieces and add to the sauce, along with the chopped parsley and cooked pasta. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
  7. Preheat broiler. Pour the pasta mixture into a lightly greased, 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
  8. Broil for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 476 Total Fat: 22g Saturated Fat: 13g Trans Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 8g Cholesterol: 66mg Sodium: 682mg Carbohydrates: 50g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 5g Protein: 19g
© Danelle
Cuisine: American / Category: Main Dishes

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Who Dished It Up First: This is an original recipe.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Isn’t it so nice when that happens?? I’m not sure I remember the last time it did for us. Love, love this one!

    Reply

    • I made it once and the kids found it too spicey. Second time around I used half the spice that it calls for and it was way better. Will defiantly put this on our regular dinner list to eat

      Reply

    • It really isnt spicy. I am not much for spicy foods. Just gives a bit of a flavor to it. But it would be good without the spicy seasonings too.

      Reply

  8. I made this last night and it was reeeeally good and easy! It was exactly what I was craving. I also made some changes I thought I would share.

    1. I added double the spice 🙂 I like it hot!
    2. I took a half a crown of broccoli florets and put them in food processor and added them to the sauce when I added the spices.
    3. I took 6oz of baby bella mushrooms and put them lightly through the food processor so they were not too tiny and added them to the sauce with the broccoli.

    My only regret is that I was unable to grill the sausage to add that charred flavor, but the sausage alone was great!

    The broccoli and the mushrooms let me add some veggies to my dish without over powering it! Just a quick way to sneak it in without making it the main focus.

    Thanks for posting and happy cooking!

    Reply

    • I haven’t tried it Shanna, but I would say make it up to the point where you put it in the pan, before broiling, then freeze it. I think you would have to do more of a longer baking when you went to cook it–the quick broil wouldn’t be enough obviously. But I think it would work to freeze it, thaw it, and then bake it for about 30 minutes, covered. You could do a broil at the very end, just to brown the cheese.

      Reply

  11. Making this now. My only question is what do we do with the flour? The ingredients call for it, but it’s not in the instructions. Please help! Lol can’t wait to try by the way!!!!

    Reply

      • Omg it was so delicious! Thank you for the greater how. Did everything as instructed and then added a can of green chiles. My bf went back for seconds and he never does!!! 🙂

        Reply

      • I had to read the recipe a few times to catch the flour step too. It came out so great, I’ve made it a few times now for dinner game night and parties. So easy and a big crowd pleaser!

        Reply

  13. My 9-year-old son chose this recipe for dinner tonight and it was the perfect meal for such a chilly night. He’s already asking when we can make it again. I left out the cayenne but used plenty of black pepper and Penzey’s Aleppo pepper and it was a big hit with the kids. I liked how it was quick to finish despite the “bake” name – I went into it expecting to have to bake it for an hour or more like lasagna, so this was a pleasant surprise.

    Reply

  14. So good! And much easier and quicker than I anticipated! I added an onion when I sautéed my garlic. Someone mentioned adding baby portabellos and I think they would be a fabulous addition! This is so much richer than the healthy cooking I’m accustomed to, but it hit the spot on such a bitterly cold, snowy day! Although, I’d be terrified to know the calorie count!

    Reply

  15. This was AMAZING!!!!!! My picky husband, who typically doesn’t love the “casserole” type dishes I try, LOVED it! I froze three portions, so I’ll update you all when I thaw one of those out and cook it. He said, “This would be awesome finished on the smoker”. I got him one for Christmas..so we’ll try that as well some time!! THANK YOU!!!

    Reply

  20. Actually, after I posted that comment, I went looking online and found that My Fitness Pal has a great nutrition calculator for any recipe! You just enter all the ingredients, enter in how many the meal serves, and then you get all the nutrition information per serving. It’s great!
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator

    Thanks for the response!

    Reply

  21. Love, love, love! This is seriously good, ya’ll ! We were practically licking our plates when we were finished. It was so filling too! I will make this again!

    Reply

  22. I just made this for the first time this weekend, and it is delicious! Between the cayenne and the red pepper flakes, its got just the right amount of heat. Add to that the smoked sausage, and you’ve got a winner. Love it and my husband loved it, too. It will be going into my tried and true file.

    Reply

  23. I made this last night, it was my first time making sauce it came out really good! Definently added this recipe to our meals

    Reply

  24. I made this for dinner last night, and it was a hit! My husband LOVED it and so did my kids. I made a mild version of this, because the pepper would have been too spicy for my little ones. Instead of the red and cayenne pepper, I added some dried basil, oregano and a little extra salt to the sauce. I also forgot to add the flour (on accident) and it still turned out DELICIOUS!! This is a great base recipe for alfredo sauce. Very easy to make and very tasty. I used kielbasa sausage and rotini pasta. Next time I will make more of the alfredo sauce and add some fresh veggies. This will be on heavy rotation at our house. Thank you for a delicious and easy recipe!

    Reply

  25. Delicious. Very cheesy. I added sautéed poblano peppers, onions, and some broccoli and it worked out great. Thanks.

    Reply

  26. Tried this last week with conecuh sasuage and extra spices and my goodness it’s delish! Making it again tonight for a get together

    Reply

  27. I made this tonight and followed all the steps but it turned on very runny and wasn’t a thick sauce at alll. A little disappointed, not sure what I did wrong.

    Reply

    • When it comes to the step where you add flour…you need to do the next few steps slowly, while stirring the entire time. This creates a rue and makes the sauce thick. So after you add the flour mixture it with the butter until it’s thick but smooth. As you add in the liquids, do it slowly. A little at a time, stir it in until smooth, then add a little more. Continue to do this with the cheese as well. It should keep it nice and thick and you can easily adjust your amount of liquids for thicker or thinner sauce. Hope this helps

      Reply

  29. I prep it ahead of time and place in the fridge until ready to broil. I omit the cayenne pepper and it’s just the right spicy for me with the red pepper flakes. I use kielbasa sausage. Kids love it too.

    Reply

  30. Just made this tonight! Easy, fast and super delicious! It makes a bit so I froze half for another night. Thank you for sharing! Found this on Pinterest and will have to search your site now for other yummy recipes to try!

    Reply

    • Britney, I think on most ovens you just turn on the broiler, you don’t really set it to any degree (although I think on some you can). On mine when I turn on broil it just automatically turns the topper element on to 500 degrees.

      Reply

    • Mine usually just has a high or low setting. I opt for high. Just be sure to stand there and watch it. When using the broiler it can go from perfect to burnt in just a few seconds.

      Reply

  33. We made this tonight with some Italian sausage instead of smoked sausage, and (accidentally) omitted the parsley. DELICIOUS!! My husband tried to go back for thirds! We will definitely make this again. 🙂

    Reply

  34. We just tried this tonight and it was delicious! The only note I would make is that when you’re making it, you ought to start your sauce before you begin boiling your noodles. That time passes quickly, and I pre-measured my ingredients. Thanks so much for sharing this new household favorite!

    Reply

  37. Made this tonight it was great. Tweaked it by cooking sausage first with onions, added garlic, removed from pan, then made roux in same pan, added broth and cream, then cheese with a bit of cheddar too. Put it all together, then baked it on 375 for twenty minutes because my husband was running late! Delicious and a treat! Thank you!!

    Reply

  38. I just got done making this dish! Mind you, I’m 23 and a terrible cook. I absolutely loved this!! I added extra pepper for some more spice and some large shrimp and it tasted so good! If I can cook this, anyone can!!

    Reply

  40. I made this for my family tonight. My son is 12 and he has autism. After his first bite he said, My taste buds are dancing! Thank you for this awesome recipe!

    Reply

  41. Do you think you could substitute evaporated milk for the half and half if you wanted a lower calorie count? I have done that before with beef strogonoff successfully, so I am wondering if it would work for this recipe as well.

    Reply

  42. I made this tonight – it is really good! Easy too.
    I used a flavored chicken sausage and it was perfect.
    I did not think the sauce was overly spicy.
    I only had 3/4 cup half & had, so I used 11/4 cup whole milk . It took a little longer to thicken, but the results were the same.

    Reply

  45. This seems like the PERFECT recipe for tonight’s dinner, unfortunately I don’t have any half and half on hand. Does anybody know of any replacements for half and half for this recipe?

    Reply

  47. Delicious! One of my favorite recipe uses kale & andouille sausage, which I already had on hand, so I made your recipe with them instead. I mostly followed you directions but had to leave out all the hot spices because the sausage is plenty spicy enough.
    First, I sautéed the garlic, sweet onion, & kale then added the sausage until cooked. Then, I removed everything from the pan to make the cheese sauce. Finally, I combined everything in a baking dish & slid it in the hot oven. It was great, everyone loved it!

    Reply

  50. Hey, all!!
    This recipe sounds amazing!! I think I will make it tonight for dinner. What kind of pan did you use to make it before you put it in the oven? Newbie here.. Thanks

    Reply

  52. This was great! I came across this recipe and remembered that I had a smoked turkey sausage on hand so I decided to make this tonight. I made half a recipe for the two of us but it made so much that we have about half of it to reheat in a day or two. I used whole wheat penne and used 1 percent milk because we didn’t have any half and half. I just let the sauce cook a little longer and it came out fine. We had Parmesan cheese but not mozzerella so I used the low-fat three cheese blend I found in the fridge. It came out perfect! This is a wonderful “adult” mac and cheese and I think you could use any cheese with it and it would be good. I will be making it again!

    Reply

  53. I just finished cooking this, and I love it sooo much! I’m just now really starting to cook full meals, and this is definitely my favorite recipe that I’ve tried so far! Thank you for sharing it!

    Reply

  54. Planning on making this soon for my husband! I know you explained any pasta could work, but what pasta did you use specifically? 🙂

    Reply

  55. This sounds delicious! And I just found a fantastic deal on the spicy sausage (it was at the Dollar Tree nonetheless!). $.50 for a two-pack! I have made it with ground sausage but I’ll try it with the sausages I found. I think I’ll add mushrooms, broccoli and some other veggies!

    Reply

  56. I have made this twice and my family loves it! I made the sauce recipe doubled. doubled was a little too much but the recipe made as is was not enough sauce. the pasta tends to soak it up. (i used wheat pasta). I also added a half onion sauteed with 1 green bell pepper and 2 red bell peppers. Like i said, my family loves it and I am sure to be making it many more times.

    Reply

  58. I add spinach to mine and it’s delicious!!! Mushrooms are my next addition. I always pan fry my sausage before adding it as well.

    Reply

  59. This recipe is literally the best!!! I made this for my whole family (6) and the dish was scraped clean! I followed the exact recipe and it wasn’t as spicy as you may think. (My little 7 and 10 year old ate this) It’s the aftertaste that’s spicy…I highly recommend this!!!

    Reply

  60. i just made this it was wonderful i used Farfalle Pasta and andouille sausage it was the best tasting alfredo i ever made

    Reply

  61. This is one of my favorite recipes EVER. Made it exactly as the recipes shows the first time, but I didn’t think there was enough sauce to it, the leftovers absorbed the remaining sauce so it wasn’t very good leftover. The 2nd time I made it I double the sauce and left the sausage and pasta amount the same, it was PERFECT and tasted the same leftover as it did fresh. This is going in my recipe box for good!! We make this twice monthly at least.

    Reply

  62. Made this last night for the first time after pinning it last weekend. SOOOO AMAZING! I love spice and this hit the spot. BF is always the true test and he went back for seconds. I went with 3 cheese (Romano, Parmesan and Mozzarella), along with adding some more Chix Stock and cream (used Light Cream instead of half and half which was probably why)… gave me more sauce to work with for the pasta which I think was good after reading some of the comments. Half the fun of cooking is experimenting doing “a little of this” and a “little of that” – I could see this made with Chicken instead of sausage as well. Adding this into the rotation! 🙂

    Reply

  64. Very nice recipe, very tasty! Even though my turkey sausage was fully cooked, I nonetheless fried the rounds in a bit of oil. Created a fond in the pan which, I think, added a depth of flavor to this dish.

    Reply

        • I know this is an old thread and question – but I was wondering if you ever made this ahead of time and then reheated and how did it turn out? Thanks!

          Reply

          • I have not. It would probably dry out so I’d add extra liquid. It would only take 30 min in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven to heat through I bet. I also add spinach to mine just for some greenery. Let me know if you try making it ahead of time and how it turns out!

  68. IF I were to make this again, I?’d have to double the sauce. Too dry. No comments from the husband, daughter liked it. I felt it was too dry.

    Reply

  69. I have cooked this and the whole family loved it! I was surprised there was leftovers! My husband took those to work and had to share with two other co workers! They are satill raving about it! Thank you so much!

    Reply

  71. Just made this. It was amazing! I added more chicken broth, half and half, and cayenne. So yummy!!!! First time in awhile that all 5 members of my family liked the same dish! Thank you!

    Reply

  72. This dish was a hit, despite it being a tad bit too spicy. I’m definitely going to add this to one of my regular dishes.

    Reply

  74. Second time making it, it’s delish! I left out the red pepper flakes to make it a little more kid friendly & they devoured it! Leftovers tasted great too. This will definitely be made again. Might even add some broccoli next time. Thanks!

    Reply

  75. This was delicious!!! My husband and I loved that it had a little kick to it. We also added spicy smoked sausage. Sooo good!

    Reply

  80. Just made this and it is so yummy! I followed the directions as it was written and it came out perfectly and was also very easy to make! Will definitely be making this again soon! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  82. I made this today at my daughter’s request, and everyone loved it. I loved how easy and quick it was to make-without tasting easy and quick to make! Have you ever made it in the instant pot? Thanks for an awesome recipe!

    Reply

  83. Danelle, this recipe is amazing! I’ve made it twice now in the last three weeks. First time as posted with sausage. The second time with rotisserie chicken, which I preferred. The Alfredo sauce is SO GOOD. It comes out perfect each time. This will be a staple in our house now!

    Reply

  84. This meal is so delicious and crowd pleasing that friends and family request it by the pan. I occasionally leave out the cayenne, depending on who’s eating. Regardless, no one has a complaint! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  85. This was such a hit last night!!! We all literally cleaned our plates! I had to change things up a bit (missing some ingredients), so instead of cayenne pepper and red pepper, all I had was Adobo chili and Chili powder. I also added in corn and broccoli. Once everything was combined, the sauce was a bit thick, so I added a bit more chicken stock-perfection. I also added some more cheese on top as well as some bread crumbs. This will definitely be a quick go to…with soooo many options to vary it! Thank you!!

    Reply

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