Creamy Penne Pasta with Spanish Cured Chorizo and Parmesan
I love to serve this 15-minute creamy penne pasta for a quick weeknight dinner. The use of cured chorizo not only saves you time cooking sausages, but also adds a wonderful, smoked flavor to the pasta.
I generally make this recipe with penne pasta (but any short pasta you have on hand will work). The sauce is a creamy sauce made with diced cured chorizo, minced red onion, cream, and parmesan. You’ll just need a large pot for boiling the pasta and a pan for the sauce (so you can make the sauce while the pasta cooks and save time). It works year-round and is great for those nights you want something quick for dinner.
If you’re making this for a family dinner, you could serve it with this parmesan garlic bread.
Ingredients for the Chorizo Pasta
If you want to make this pasta, you’ll need to get the following ingredients (for about 4 servings).
- Penne Pasta – 1 lb (450 grams). Other types of pasta that would go well in this recipe include fusilli, rigatoni, and, generally, most types of short pasta.
- Spanish Cured Chorizo – 8 oz (225 grams), not the ground chorizo but the dry-cured chorizo sausage that’s already cooked. You can use mild Spanish chorizo (which is my personal preference), or you can use spicy Spanish chorizo if you’d like a spicier pasta dish.
- Red Onion – 1 small red onion (or 1/2 big red onion). Red onion is sweeter and milder and cooks faster than other types of onions (like brown or white).
- Heavy Cream – 1/2 cup of heavy cream (or ‘double cream’ for UK readers).
- Parmesan – 2 oz grated parmesan (60 grams). Preferably, grate the parmesan at home rather than buy pre-grated, as it will melt better and have better flavor.
- Olive Oil – 1 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil.
- Salt & pepper – salt and pepper, to taste. You’ll need salt for the water to boil the pasta and salt & pepper for the sauce.
- Chili flakes – a pinch of chili flakes, to taste.
- Basil – a handful of fresh basil.
- Pasta water – reserve 1 cup of pasta water for the sauce.
How to Make This 15-Minute Creamy Chorizo Pasta Recipe
Prep the ingredients.
- Peel and dice the cured chorizo.
- Peel and mince the red onion.
- Finely slice the basil.
- Grate the parmesan.
- Boil a large pot of water for the pasta.
Boil the pasta.
To a large pot with boiling water, add some salt (about 1 tbsp of kosher salt) and the pasta, making sure the pasta is covered with boiling water by at least an inch. Boil the pasta for the time indicated on the package (minus one minute as we’ll finish the pasta in the sauce). Make sure to stir the pasta a few times so it doesn’t stick. When you drain the pasta, reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
Make the sauce while the pasta cooks.
While the pasta cooks, work on the sauce. To a skillet or pan, add 1 tbsp of olive oil, diced chorizo, and minced onion with a pinch of salt (for seasoning & to help the onion cook faster). Cook for about 5-6 minutes on medium-high until the red onion has softened.
Add the cream and 1 cup of pasta water to the sauce. Bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Add the parmesan, stirring it in for a few seconds.
Finish the pasta in the sauce.
After draining the pasta, combine it with the sauce. Your pan/skillet will likely not be big enough to hold the pasta so combine everything back in the pasta pot. Put the pasta and sauce back on heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring until the pasta is coated in the sauce.
Add the final seasonings.
Add fresh basil and a pinch of chili flakes. Taste everything once combined and add salt & pepper to taste.
Here is the pasta served in two pasta bowls, ready to eat. As everything is finished in one pot, you can easily bring the pot to the table for everyone to plate up as much as they want.
This pasta has a wonderfully creamy texture and a rich, smoky flavor from the chorizo.
If you made this pasta and loved it, let me know in a review below. I’d also love to know the occasion and what else you served it with in the comments.
Looking for More Easy Weeknight Pasta Ideas?
Pasta is a beloved go-to in our household. I just love how versatile and quick it is on those busy weeknights. Some of my trusted favorites include this lemon spaghetti with parmesan and basil (which you can serve with grilled chicken, salmon, or white fish), this 15-minute basil pesto pasta, or this creamy pancetta and artichoke pasta.
Get the All-in-One Recipe Card Here
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta or rigatoni, fussili, or other short pasta (450 grams)
- 8 oz Spanish cured chorizo 225 grams (note 1), peeled and diced
- 1 small red onion or 1/2 big red onion (note 2), peeled and minced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or double cream
- 2 oz parmesan 60 grams (note 3), grated
- 1 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
- salt to taste (plus salt for the pasta water)
- ground black pepper to taste
- a pinch of chili flakes to taste
- a handful of fresh basil finely sliced
- 1 cup pasta water reserve 1 cup of pasta water to use in the sauce
Instructions
- To a large pot with boiling water, add some salt (about 1 tbsp of kosher salt) and the pasta, making sure the water covers the pasta by at least 1 inch. Boil the pasta for the time indicated on the package minus 1 minute. Stir a few times to make sure the pasta doesn't stick. When you drain the pasta once it's cooked, reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- While the pasta cooks, work on the sauce. To a skillet or pan, add 1 tbsp of olive oil, diced chorizo, and minced onion with a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5-6 minutes on medium-high until the red onion has softened.
- Add the cream and 1 cup of pasta water to the sauce. Bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add the parmesan, stirring it in for a few seconds.
- Combine the cooked and drained pasta with the sauce. Put the pot back on heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring until the pasta is coated in the sauce.
- Add fresh basil and a pinch of chili flakes. Taste everything once combined and add salt & pepper to taste.
Notes
Want to add this pasta to your weeknight roster? Don’t forget to save it to one of your easy meals or dinner boards, ready for when it’s time to plan the week’s menu.
