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Cavatelli with Sausage & Mushroom Cream Sauce Recipe
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ANNA'S KITCHEN

Cavatelli with Sausage & Mushroom Cream Sauce Recipe

The mushrooms get all tender, the sausage gets that perfect sizzle, and the cream wraps around every cavatelli like it’s giving them a hug.

By Anna Prezio

 |  

December 05, 2025

By Anna Prezio

Ingredients

  • For the Sauce:

  • 1

    lb Italian sausage (casings removed)

  • 3

    tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1/2

    onion, finely chopped

  • 16

    oz mixed mushrooms, sliced

  • 5

    sprigs parsley, chopped (reserve some)

  • 1/2

    cup dry Gratsi White

  • 1

    cup heavy cream

  • Salt & pepper

  • Cavatelli:

  • 3

    cups 00 flour

  • 8

    oz water

  • Pinch of salt

TOTAL TIME

30 minutes

4-6 servings

There’s just something about heading up to the farm for the weekend that hits different. the peaceful drive, that first breath of fresh air… and of course Mama calling the night before with her classic line “Reno, what pasta should I make for you?”

And without missing a beat, I always pick this one. Her sausage and mushroom cavatelli swimming in that silky, velvety cream sauce? Forget it. The whole house smells like heaven the second she starts cooking. The mushrooms get all tender, the sausage gets that perfect sizzle, and the cream wraps around every cavatelli like it’s giving them a hug. This dish doesn’t just taste good… it has a personality.

I’ve tried a lot of pasta, maybe too many but nothing knocks this one out of the top spot. I need it at least once a month, no negotiations… and Mama knows it.

And if you want to take it to the next level, grab a chilled glass of Gratsi White. Trust me, it’s the perfect combo.
Cavatelli with mushroom cream sauce belongs in the same conversation as Roman comfort food — pasta alla zozzona is the bold, unapologetic cousin worth knowing. For the bread basket alongside, pane ripieno stuffed with mozzarella is always the right call. Focaccia Barese pulls the table south, and guanciale & pea pasta keeps the pasta theme going for seconds. A glass of Gratsi Sparkling White cuts through the cream beautifully.

An older woman with short gray hair and glasses stands in a kitchen, smiling. She wears an apron and stands behind a counter with bowls of flour, sausages, mushrooms, onions, glass of water, and other ingredients. Three wooden bowls with chopped parsley and onions, sliced mushrooms, and sliced sun-dried tomatoes sit on a kitchen counter next to a Gratsi white wine box. A stove and other kitchen items are visible in the background.

Step 1: Sauté the Onion and Sausage

Sauté the onion in olive oil until soft. Add the sausage and cook until browned.

Chopped mushrooms, parsley, onions, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, uncooked sausages, a glass of white wine, and a carton of heavy whipping cream arranged in wooden bowls on a wooden surface. Ground sausage and chopped onions are being cooked in a frying pan on a stove. A wooden spatula is stirring the mixture. The onions are partially sautéed and the sausage is still raw.

Step 2: Build the Mushroom Sauce

Stir in the mushrooms, parsley, salt, and pepper. Deglaze with Gratsi White and let it reduce.

A wooden bowl containing seven brown mushrooms sits on a wooden surface next to a metal knife. Ground meat cooking in a skillet with sliced mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, and spices, being stirred with a wooden spatula.

Step 3: Simmer and Add Cream

Add a splash of water, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer until the sauce is silky.

Step 4: Make the Cavatelli Pasta

For the pasta, mix flour, water, and salt, knead until smooth, shape into cavatelli, and boil in salted water for about 5 minutes.

A person kneads a ball of dough on a wooden surface dusted with flour. The person is wearing a floral-patterned shirt and a gold ring. Only their hands and part of their arms are visible. An elderly woman with short white hair and glasses smiles while making homemade pasta with a pasta machine. She wears a floral apron and stands in a modern kitchen, placing pasta onto a blue tray. A skillet filled with creamy pasta, sausage, and herbs sits on a stove. In the background, there are black and pink Gratsi wine boxes and a yellow ceramic container labeled Lemonade on a white tile countertop.

Step 5: Toss the Pasta and Finish

Toss the pasta with the sauce and finish with grated Parmesan and parsley.

A simple, comforting, restaurant-quality dish—buon appetito!

A white plate of creamy pasta garnished with chopped parsley and grated cheese. The pasta is mixed with pieces of mushroom and a rich white sauce. A smiling older woman with short white hair and glasses holds a large bowl of pasta topped with herbs in a kitchen, wearing a floral apron.

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