Pasta alla Norcina with mushrooms and easy, 10-minute homemade sausage tossed in a creamy white wine sauce, is incredibly flavorful and deeply comforting dish.
Making this Norcia-style dish couldn't be easier. We form the sausage mixture into a patty, brown it on both sides, break it up into small pieces and let it sit in cream while your pasta is cooking.
Then we brown mushrooms, deglaze the pan with white wine, add spices and seasonings, sausage and cream, and then simmer it down to a saucy consistency.
📃 Why it Works
- You can make our own delicious sausage from scratch! In your kitchen! In about 10 minutes! How could you not be excited about that?
- Tasty home-style Italian sausage, garlic, cream and Pecorino Romano are the main ingredients that make one of the best pasta bowls you’ve ever had.
- The ingredients for the sugo bianco sauce are few and simple: cream, wine, and a generous dose of grated pecorino. And yes, it's made without tomato sauce.
- This creamy pasta is even better the next day, I swear. It’s the best.
Pasta alla Norcina is a typical recipe from the ancient Italian town of Norcia, in the southeastern Umbria region. This dish showcases pork sausage and mushrooms in a light creamy sauce.
The Umbria region is noted for its sausage and other pork products since the 9th century when the Lombards who occupied the region learned how to preserve pig meat with salt. Thus, a pig butcher anywhere in Italy is called a norcino.
Ingredients:
Pasta - I used orecchiette, but the Italians are very, very particular about what type of pasta they use in which particular recipe. Traditionally, it is made with penne or rigatoni.
Sausage - quick and easy made from scratch sausage reproduces the flavors of Norcia sausage, which doesn't include the fennel seed and dried chiles (common in store-bought Italian sausage), but is centered around garlic and white wine instead.
Mushrooms - Some versions of this classic recipe include grated black truffle, which abounds in Umbria. We used more affordable cremini mushrooms.
What is orecchiette?
Orecchiette (meaning small ears) is popular pasta is Southern Italy, typically served with meat such as pork. Hence, it's perfect for this recipe.
How to make creamy pasta with sausage ?
- Make the Sausage - Mix salt, baking soda, and water in a medium bowl until dissolved. Combine with ground pork and let stand 10 minutes. Mix in garlic, rosemary, nutmeg, and pepper. Smear with a rubber spatula until well combined and sticky, 20-30 seconds. (see recipe notes). Form the sausage into a rough patty
- Cook the sausage in a cast iron or non-stick skillet without moving until the bottom is browned. Flip and cook 2-3 minutes longer. Transfer to a cutting board and chop into pieces. Transfer to a bowl and add heavy cream. Set aside.
- Cook pasta according to the package directions.
- Meanwhile, cook sliced mushrooms with salt until lightly browned. Add garlic, rosemary, and pepper. Deglaze the pan with wine. Add sausage and cream and simmer until meat is no longer pink. Stir in Pecorino until smooth.
- Mix sauce with pasta, add lemon juice and parsley, and toss well.
Recipe Notes
- Smearing meat with a rubber spatula - The science behind it is that working seasonings into the sausage with a spatula distributes their flavor thoroughly and creates sausage texture. By “smearing” the mixture, we’re forcing the meat’s proteins to stretch out and link up together. It makes the pork appear thick and sticky.
- Orecchiette is prone to nest and stuck - To prevent this, add pasta to the pot with cold water with 1 tablespoon oil. Stir often even before the water starts to boil.
- Did you know that lemon juice brings out flavors in pasta? Drizzle fresh lemon juice over your pasta alla Norcina.
- Make different flavor sausage - Add fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, coriander or caraway. How about caramelized onions? Why not, it’s super easy.
- How much sauce? - Even if it looks like you have too much and kind of a runny sauce, the sauce will thicken and the pasta will absorb all of it as it cools down. Trust me on this. I learned it the hard way. If you don't have enough sauce your leftovers will be too dry the next day.
🍴 Equipment Needed
- Cast Iron Skillet - I probably sound like a broken record, but if you don't own a cast-iron skillet, you better get one now! I use mine in 90% of the food I cook. They have plenty of benefits: they're non-stick, they're chemical-free, they're easy to clean, they go from stovetop to oven, they have a long lifespan and are nearly indestructible, they fortify your food with iron, and best of all - they're inexpensive! Cast iron cookware makes cooking much easier! If you haven't already, you'll definitely need to pick at least one up. I suggest a 12-inch as it is big enough but not too big.
- Mixing Bowls - You can never have enough mixing bowls if you ask me. Any bowls will do a job, but I prefer a glass bowl with a lid.
- Cutting Board - You will love bamboo boards, not only because they're not expensive but also because they're light in weight, durable, and protects your cutlery. Have I mentioned they look pretty too?
FAQs
Any small pasta, like shells or macaroni, is ok. Mind you, it's not a crime to use whatever you have on hand, so if you have tubular pasta such as penne or rigatoni, use that.
Absolutely! If you use premade sausage, it's a simple weeknight pasta meal that's good enough for entertaining. But 10 minutes to make your sausage is the most satisfying thing in the world. Right next to making bread. You'll feel like such a kitchen pro with minimum effort. And you get the bragging rights!
Sausage mixture can be made in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days You can also freeze it for up to 1 month.
- Chicken Shrimp Pasta Alfredo
- Noodles With Cabbage and Bacon
- Pumpkin And Goat Cheese Fusilli Bake
- 5-Ingredient Mediterranean Feta Mac & Cheese
- Greek Pastitsio Pasta Casserole
- Caramelized Cauliflower & Mushroom Spaghetti
Liked this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section. Your feedback is always appreciated! Stay in touch through Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for my email list below too!
Pasta alla Norcina
Ingredients
For the sausage
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ½ tablespoon water
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
- ¼ ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ¾ cup heavy cream
For the pasta
- 1 pound orecchiette pasta, we like DeLallo, or any small pasta such as shells
- 3 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
- 6-8 ounces Crimini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (Parmesan is a good substitute)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Shaved parmesan cheese for garnish, optional
Instructions
For the sausage
- In a medium bowl, mix salt and baking soda in water until dissolved. Add pork and fold gently to combine; let stand 10 minutes.
- Add garlic, rosemary, nutmeg, and pepper to pork and smear with a rubber spatula until well combined and sticky, 20 to 30 seconds (see recipe notes). Transfer pork mixture to a greased plate and form into a rough patty to fit your skillet.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add patty and cook without moving it until bottom is browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip patty and continue to cook until the second side is well browned, 2 to 3 minutes longer (very center of the patty will be raw).
- Remove pan from heat, transfer sausage to cutting board, and chop into ¼ inch pieces. Transfer sausage to a large bowl and add cream; set aside.
For the pasta
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente stirring often.
- Reserve 1 ½ cups cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to the pot.
- While pasta cooks, return now-empty skillet to medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil, mushrooms, and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring frequently until mushrooms are lightly browned. Stir in remaining 2 teaspoons oil, garlic, rosemary, and pepper to taste; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until completely evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir sausage-cream mixture and ¾ cup reserved cooking water and simmer until meat is no longer pink. Remove pan from heat and stir in Pecorino until smooth.
- Add sauce, parsley, and lemon juice to pasta and toss well to coat. Before serving, adjust consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed and season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, top the pasta with shaved parmesan cheese and sprinkle with more parsley.
Notes
- Smearing meat with a rubber spatula - The science behind it is that working seasonings into the sausage with a spatula distributes their flavor thoroughly and creates sausage texture. By “smearing” the mixture, we’re forcing the meat’s proteins to stretch out and link up together. It makes the pork appear thick and sticky.
- Orecchiette is prone to nest and stuck - To prevent this, add pasta to the pot with cold water with 1 tablespoon oil. Stir often even before the water starts to boil.
- Did you know that lemon juice brings out flavors in pasta? Drizzle fresh lemon juice over your pasta alla Norcina.
- Make different flavor sausage - Add fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, coriander or caraway. How about caramelized onions? Why not, it’s super easy.
- How much sauce? - Even if it looks like you have too much and kind of a runny sauce, the sauce will thicken and the pasta will absorb all of it as it cools down. Trust me on this. I learned it the hard way. If you don't have enough sauce your leftovers will be too dry the next day.
JRT Hiker says
American who lives in Abruzzo, near Umbria, so pasta alla norcina is really popular here. Love your solution to the sausage...you're right that sausage in central Italy never has fennel or other seasonings. Instead of cream, many people use ricotta mixed with pasta water. The recipe usually includes onions and less garlic (usually 1 clove and never chopped, central Italians don't like garlic to stick out.) Feel free to use any pasta that can hold up to the sauce, around Abruzzo it's popular with tagliatelle, but I've seen it with all kinds of fresh and dry pasta. If your pasta is dry when heating up leftovers, just add water to thin it back down.
Jas says
Thank you for all the info! Can't wait to try it with tagliatelle. 🙂
Sabrina L. says
I've made this 4 or 5 times this year and never tire of it. Thank you so much for this delicious dish!!
Jas says
Yay! So happy you like it!
Kippi says
This is perfect for a bleak winter's day. I am pinning it. Happy Weekend, Kippi #kippiathome
Jas says
Thank you much, Kippi! Always appreciate your kindness.
Marlene says
This looks great, Jas. I don’t use pork; wht other ground meat is a good substitute? Thanks!
Jas says
Thanks, Marlene! I haven't tried it, but I think ground dark meat turkey would be a good substitute for pork. 🙂
Cindy says
Sounds and looks delicious!
Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY!
Blessings,
Cindy
Jas says
Thank you, Cindy, and thanks for stopping in! x
Ron says
I'm such a fan of Noodles Without Borders and your submission this month is excellent. For me, I rarely pay attention to which pasta shape is recommended (except lasagna or cannelloni dishes). I just go with the mood and what's in the pantry. Orecchiette is a pasta fav for us so it's always in the pantry, so this dish will land on our weekend table. Thanks for sharing.
Jas says
I hear ya, Ron! I use any pasta I have on hand, except, as you said for lasagna and such. But then again, I'm not Italian. 🙂
Jenny Sparmo says
This looks amazing! My husband loves mushrooms and would love this! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday!
Jas says
Thank you, Jenny! Every time I make this our bowls seem to be bottomless, lol.
helenfern says
I love the story you told - and the recipe looks great! Orecchiette is my second favorite pasta (orzo is first). Thanks for sharing at the What's for Dinner party. Have a fabulous week!
Jas says
Oh, I love orzo too, but my favorite is elbow macaroni. Have a recipe with it in the works. 😉 xx
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
This looks like my kind of pasta recipe! Pork in a creamy sauce with pasta?! Yum!
Jas says
Oh, it's so so good! I hope you try it, Cat! 😀
ParsiCuisine.com says
Jas this is a great recipe and instructions. A keeper
Jas says
I'm so glad you like it! 🙂 Thank you!
Kat says
I had no idea that it's so easy to make homemade sausage! Now that I know, I will have to experiment with making my own! Thanks for sharing the recipe at Fiesta Friday!
Jas says
It's not only easy, but it's also delicious! 😀 Hope you try it.
Recipes Made Easy says
I love seeing your recipes they are often refreshingly different to most of the other ones i am seeing the time what with the seasons being different. Have fun in Italy when the time comes. It's possibly my favourite country although I am really getting to rather like main land Spain as the food is amazing which i didn't expect.
Thank you for linking to #CookBlogShare.
Jas says
Thank you much, Jacqui! I haven't made it to Spain yet, but I can't wait to go someday and try their food. 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
Love orecchiette pasta, its a fun shape and it really does cling the sauce well. If we are celebrating pork, the little pig, then this little pasta looks just like the little pigs ear. In addition, did you know that this Chinese New year we are going to celebrating the year of the pig? So you are right on course. Just shared ! Thanks for making #noodleswithoutborders so fun! Take Care
Jas says
Yes, I do know it's the year of the pig but wasn't thinking of it with this recipe. A nice coincidence, thanks for pointing it out. 😀 Orecchiette means little ears, so little pig ears qualify as well, lol. Have a great 2019, Bobbi!