Description
Spicy Creamy Rattlesnake Pasta is a bold, restaurant-style pasta dish made with spicy Italian sausage, jalapeños, and a rich Parmesan cream sauce. Ready in just 40 minutes, this creamy, slightly fiery pasta is perfect for busy weeknights or when you want to impress guests with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta & Base:
- 1 pound penne or rigatoni pasta
- 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 fresh jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Creamy Sauce:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup white wine (or chicken broth)
Seasonings & Garnish:
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook 6–8 minutes, breaking it apart, until browned and slightly crispy.
- Add diced onion and cook 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and jalapeños and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add red bell pepper and cook 2 minutes. Pour in white wine (or broth) and scrape up browned bits from the pan.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in cream cheese until melted and smooth. Gradually add heavy cream, stirring continuously.
- Season with smoked paprika, cayenne, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until sauce reaches desired consistency.
- Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
- Adjust spice level by reducing jalapeños or cayenne.
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half and turkey sausage.
- Always reserve pasta water—it helps create a silky sauce.
- Reheat leftovers with a splash of milk or cream to loosen the sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1½ cups
- Calories: 720 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg