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Conchiglie with Sausage and Peas Pasta Recipe

Creamy Sausage and Pea Shells

Tender pasta shells tossed in a creamy sauce with sweet Italian sausage and peas. Rich yet balanced. Ready fast on busy nights. Comforting, family-friendly, and easy to scale for a full table or leftovers.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian, Italian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and protein
  • 1 lb pasta shells
  • 1 lb sweet Italian sausage casings removed
Sauce and vegetables
  • 12 oz frozen peas
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp grated Parmesan plus more to finish
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tsp tomato paste
Seasoning
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Red pepper flakes small pinch

Method
 

Boil the pasta
  1. Fill a large pot with water. Add salt until it tastes salty. Bring to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 8–10 minutes. Scoop out 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta.
Brown the sausage
  1. Heat a wide skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil. Add sausage and break it up. Cook 6–8 minutes until browned with caramelized edges.
Bloom the tomato paste
  1. Stir tomato paste into the sausage. Cook 1–2 minutes until darker and fragrant. Add red pepper flakes and black pepper.
Cook onion and garlic
  1. Push sausage aside. Add onion. Cook until soft, or longer for deeper flavor. Add garlic. Stir for 20–30 seconds.
Deglaze
  1. Pour in 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Scrape the pan well. Let it simmer 1 minute.
Build the sauce
  1. Lower heat. Add heavy cream and butter. Stir gently until smooth and glossy.
Add peas and pasta
  1. Stir in frozen peas. Add hot pasta straight to the pan. Toss well. Add Parmesan. Adjust salt and pepper. Loosen with more pasta water if needed.
Finish and serve
  1. Toss over low heat 1–2 minutes until sauce coats every shell. Serve hot with extra Parmesan.

Notes

  • Salt the pasta water well. This seasons the dish from the inside.
  • Keep pasta water nearby. Add it slowly to control texture.
  • Add peas at the end to keep color and sweetness.
  • Reheat gently with a splash of water to keep the sauce smooth.