Vienna sausage pasta is the ultimate comfort food that brings together tender, savory sausages with creamy, luxurious sauce and perfectly cooked pasta. This dish is incredibly simple to prepare yet feels elegant enough to serve at your dinner table. Whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight meal or something to impress your family, this recipe delivers restaurant-quality results in about 30 minutes.
The beauty of this Vienna sausage pasta lies in its simplicity and versatility. Vienna sausages, those little canned treasures, become wonderfully caramelized when pan-fried, developing a golden exterior while maintaining their tender interior. When combined with a silky cream sauce and fresh pasta, they transform into something truly special. This isn’t your average canned meat dish – it’s a sophisticated pasta that deserves a place on your regular dinner rotation.
I love how accessible this recipe is for everyone, from beginners to seasoned home cooks. You can have this on the table faster than ordering takeout, and it tastes infinitely better. The key to making this dish absolutely sing is in the technique: properly searing the sausages, building a flavorful sauce with quality ingredients, and finishing with fresh herbs and a touch of lemon juice.
What makes this Vienna sausage pasta recipe truly the best is how it balances rich and bright flavors. The creaminess is cut through with a hint of acidity, while garlic and herbs add depth. Pair this with a simple green salad or shishito peppers for a complete meal that feels special without requiring hours in the kitchen. You might also want to serve it alongside pickled red onions for a pop of tangy flavor that complements the richness beautifully.
For those looking to elevate their cream pasta game, this Vienna sausage version is a wonderful starting point. If you enjoy this dish, you’ll absolutely love our heavy cream Alfredo sauce recipe or our delicious heavy cream pasta for more inspiration. The techniques you’ll learn here apply across many pasta dishes, so you’re investing in skills that will serve you well in the kitchen.
This recipe is also budget-friendly, making it perfect for feeding a family without breaking the bank. Vienna sausages are inexpensive, and when you combine them with pantry staples like pasta, cream, and butter, you’ve got an economical meal that tastes like you spent all day cooking. It’s the kind of dish that proves you don’t need expensive ingredients to create something delicious and memorable.
I recommend using high-quality butter and fresh cream if possible – these ingredients really make a difference in the final flavor. However, this recipe is forgiving enough that it works beautifully with whatever you have on hand. You can also customize it with different pasta shapes, vegetables, or seasonings based on your preferences. Some people love adding a splash of white wine, others prefer fresh dill or tarragon. The foundation is solid enough to support your creative additions.
For more inspiration on cream-based pasta dishes, check out this Serious Eats guide to cream pasta or explore New York Times pasta techniques. You might also enjoy Bon Appétit’s creamy pasta collection for additional ideas and variations. These resources offer fantastic insights into perfecting your pasta dishes.
Ingredients
- 2 cans (3.75 oz each) Vienna sausages, drained and halved lengthwise
- 1 pound pasta (fettuccine, pappardelle, or your favorite shape)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill (optional)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining. Set aside.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add Vienna sausages cut-side down and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden and lightly caramelized. Flip and cook another 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Add minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.
- Pour in the heavy cream and milk, stirring well to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low.
- Add grated Parmesan cheese to the cream mixture, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. The sauce should be velvety and coat the back of a spoon.
- Stir in lemon juice and red pepper flakes. Taste and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remember that the pasta water and cheese add saltiness, so adjust carefully.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the sauce, stirring until fully incorporated and the sauce becomes glossy.
- Return the seared Vienna sausages to the skillet and gently fold into the cream sauce. Heat through for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet, tossing gently to coat every strand with the creamy sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Divide pasta among serving bowls and top with fresh parsley and dill if using. Serve immediately while hot, with extra Parmesan cheese and black pepper on the side.
- Optional: drizzle with a touch of high-quality olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for brightness before serving.
Pro Tips
This recipe is infinitely customizable based on your preferences and what you have available. Fresh herbs make a tremendous difference, so try to include at least parsley. Fresh dill adds a wonderful brightness, while tarragon or chives work beautifully too. Experiment with different combinations to find your favorite flavor profile.
For vegetable additions, consider sautéing mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, or fresh spinach before adding the cream. These vegetables add nutrition and complexity without requiring additional cooking time. Just cook them briefly and remove before building your sauce.
Pasta choice matters more than you might think. Wider, flatter noodles like fettuccine or pappardelle hold the cream sauce beautifully and showcase the Vienna sausages. However, if you prefer, penne or rigatoni work wonderfully too. Avoid delicate shapes like angel hair that can get lost in this hearty sauce.
The reserved pasta water is your secret weapon for achieving the perfect sauce consistency. Starch in the pasta water helps the sauce coat the noodles and creates a cohesive dish rather than pasta swimming in sauce. Add it gradually while tossing, a few tablespoons at a time, until the consistency is just right.
Make sure your cream and milk are at room temperature before adding to the hot butter and garlic. This prevents the sauce from breaking and ensures a smooth, creamy texture. If your sauce does break, whisk in a splash of cold milk to bring it back together.
Quality ingredients genuinely elevate this simple dish. Using real butter instead of margarine, full-fat cream instead of half-and-half, and freshly grated Parmesan instead of pre-grated makes a noticeable difference. These ingredients aren’t expensive, and they transform the entire dish.
This recipe easily feeds four people as a main course with a side salad, or six people with additional vegetable sides. It’s also wonderful for meal prep – the flavors actually improve after a day or two in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container and reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk to restore creaminess.
If you’re serving this to guests, prepare everything up to the point of adding pasta, then finish cooking once your guests arrive. The final assembly happens in just minutes and shows your guests you put care into their meal.
For wine pairing, choose a crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc to cut through the richness of the cream. The acidity complements the dish beautifully and aids digestion of the heavier elements.