Creamy Sausage Alfredo Casserole is comfort food that feeds a crowd and reheats beautifully. Did you know the word Alfredo grew from a simple butter and cheese sauce in early 20th century Rome, now transformed into rich, oven-baked casseroles? This recipe guide focuses on a creamy sausage Alfredo casserole, with step-by-step clarity, timing, and texture tips that make it weeknight-friendly and perfect for Pinterest sharing. For more Alfredo inspiration, see this blackened chicken Alfredo recipe. In this guide, you’ll learn how to build the sauce, combine it with pasta and sausage, and bake for golden, bubbly results.
What Is Creamy Sausage Alfredo Casserole?
Creamy Sausage Alfredo Casserole layers pasta, a rich Parmesan cream, Italian sausage, and mozzarella, then bakes until bubbly. It is a cross between stovetop Alfredo and classic baked pasta, giving a crisp top and silky interior.
This dish is flexible, family-friendly, and stores well for lunches. Quick Facts about Creamy Sausage Alfredo Casserole:
- Servings: 6 to 8 people
- Bake time: 30 minutes (min)
- Prep time: 20 minutes (min)
- Estimated calories: 650 kcal per serving (approximate)
Nutritional highlights:
- Protein: about 28 g per serving
- Fat: about 40 g per serving
- Carbs: about 45 g per serving
Creamy Sausage Alfredo Casserole
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil For sautéing
- 2 tablespoons butter For making the Alfredo base
- 2 cups heavy cream Base for the Alfredo sauce
- 1 cup grated Parmesan For flavor and creaminess
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella For layering and topping
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water To adjust the sauce consistency
For the Casserole
- 1 pound Italian sausage Can use turkey sausage for a healthier version
- 1 medium onion Finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic Minced
- 1 package pasta To cook until al dente (e.g., penne or rotini)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes Optional for spice
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and spray a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- In a large skillet, add olive oil. Sauté onions for about 2 minutes until translucent, then add half the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the sausage, crumble it, and cook until browned. Strain out most grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon for flavor.
Making Alfredo Sauce
- In the same pan over medium-low heat, melt butter and add remaining garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in heavy cream while whisking, and let simmer for about 5 minutes.
Combining Ingredients
- Start boiling a pot of salted water for pasta. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Add grated Parmesan to the simmering cream, whisk until incorporated, and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.
Assembling and Baking
- Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Pour in the Alfredo sauce, sausage mixture, and onions. Mix until well combined, adding pasta water as needed.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish, top with remaining mozzarella, and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and slightly golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Sauté sausage and aromatics.
- Action: In a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, saute onions for about 2 minutes until translucent, then add half the garlic. Cook 1 minute, add sausage, crumble and cook through.
- Expected result: Sausage browned, onions soft, mixture fragrant and set aside. Strain out most grease, leave about 1 tbsp for flavor.
- Make the Alfredo base.
- Action: In same pan over medium low, melt 2 tablespoons butter, add remaining garlic and saute about 1 minute. Pour in 2 cups heavy cream slowly while whisking, simmer about 5 minutes.
- Expected result: Cream reduced slightly, scented with garlic and butter.
- Cook pasta and combine.
- Action: Start a pot of salted water to boil for pasta while the Alfredo simmers. Cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. To the cream, add 1 cup grated Parmesan, whisk until incorporated, taste and adjust salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Expected result: Smooth Parmesan sauce, balanced seasoning.
- Assemble and bake.
- Action: Strain and return pasta to pot, pour in Alfredo sauce, sausage and onions, and 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Mix until combined, add splashes of pasta water if needed. Pour into the prepared casserole, top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella, bake 30 minutes or until bubbly and slightly golden brown.
- Expected result: Casserole set, top browned, creamy interior.
Variations & Substitutes
Swap ingredients to suit diet or region, each change affects time and flavor subtly. Using turkey sausage lowers fat and calories, while spicy Italian sausage increases heat and sodium.
- Vegetarian: Use plant-based sausage, add 200 g mushrooms for umami, increase baking time by 5 minutes.
- Lower-fat: Replace heavy cream with 400 g evaporated milk plus 2 tbsp cornstarch, simmer until thickened.
- Regional twist: Add 1 tsp smoked paprika and 50 g roasted red peppers for a smoky southwestern note.
Chef tip: For extra creaminess, reserve 2 tbsp pasta water and stir in at the end, it helps emulsify the sauce.
Pros & Cons
Quick summary to decide if this recipe fits your menu.
Pros:
- Feeds a family, reheats well
- Rich, crowd-pleasing flavor
- Uses pantry staples
Cons:
- Higher in calories, about 650 kcal per serving
- Not ideal for low-dairy diets without swaps
Mistakes to Avoid
Common beginner errors plus fixes to keep your casserole perfect.
Checklist:
- Undercooking pasta, fix by cooking to al dente and reserving pasta water.
- Burning garlic, fix by lowering heat and adding garlic later.
- Oily dish, fix by draining most sausage fat, leaving 1 tbsp for flavor.
- Sauce too thin, fix by simmering 2 to 3 minutes or adding a tablespoon cornstarch slurry.
- Overbaking, fix by tenting with foil last 10 minutes if top browns too fast.
Storage, Reuse
Leftovers keep well and transform into quick meals. Cool casserole, store in airtight container for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Reheat covered at 180 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, add small splash of milk if dry.
- Fridge: 3 to 4 days (min)
- Freezer: up to 3 months (min)
- Reheat: 15 to 20 minutes at 180 degrees (min)
For more on ingredient nutrition, see this calories and nutrition guide for Alfredo-style dishes.
Related Recipes / See Also
If you love this, try a few other comforting Alfredo-style dishes from the site, each with its own protein and spice profile.
- For a protein-packed twist, try this high-protein blackened chicken Alfredo sauce.
- Prefer seafood, pair Alfredo with shrimp by following this chicken and shrimp Alfredo recipe.
- For a hearty winter soup alternative, see the best creamy white chicken chili recipes.
Conclusion
This Creamy Sausage Alfredo Casserole is reliable, comforting, and adaptable, perfect for weeknights or gatherings. The method keeps textures balanced and cleanup easy. Try the variations to match your nutrition goals, and share the final photo on Pinterest for maximum reach.
