Sausage Spinach Pasta (Printable Version)
A comforting pasta meal with Italian sausage, spinach, and a luscious parmesan cream sauce, highlighted by sun-dried tomatoes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 -
1 lb penne noodles
→ Main Ingredients
02 -
1 lb ground Italian sausage
03 -
4 minced garlic cloves
04 -
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
05 -
2 handfuls of baby spinach
→ Sauce
06 -
2 tbsp olive oil
07 -
1 cup chicken stock
08 -
2 cups heavy whipping cream
09 -
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (fresh, if possible)
→ Spices
10 -
1 tsp Italian herb mix
11 -
1/2 tsp crushed red chili flakes
12 -
Salt and black pepper as needed
→ Toppings
13 -
Hand-torn basil leaves
14 -
Extra Parmesan for topping
# Steps to Follow:
01 -
Cook the noodles in salty water until they’ve got some bite to them. Save a cup of the cooking water before you drain them.
02 -
In a big skillet set over medium-high heat, warm up the olive oil and cook the sausage until browned (5-7 mins). Move it to a plate.
03 -
Turn down the heat to medium. Cook the garlic until you can smell it. Add in the sun-dried tomatoes, broth, spices, and cream. Let it simmer for about 3-5 mins to thicken.
04 -
Mix in the Parmesan, the sausage you set aside, and the spinach. Stir and let the spinach soften (1-2 mins). Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper if needed.
05 -
Toss the drained penne with the creamy sauce in the skillet. Add some of that saved pasta water if the sauce feels too thick.
06 -
Top with basil and some extra Parmesan. Serve while it’s nice and warm.
# Additional Notes:
01 -
Pick good-quality sausage for better taste.
02 -
The sauce should lightly coat a spoon when thickened.
03 -
Keep the pasta water handy in case the sauce gets too thick.