Description
A rich and creamy sausage pasta featuring browned Italian sausage, tender penne pasta, and a luscious Parmesan cream sauce blended with fresh spinach for a satisfying one-pot meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 lb. ground Italian sausage
Pasta
- 1 lb. penne pasta
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, minced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 oz. fresh baby spinach, tightly packed (about 3 cups)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Brown Sausage: Over medium heat, brown the ground Italian sausage in a skillet for about 5 minutes, breaking up any clumps. Once cooked through, remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain excess grease from the pan.
- Sauté Aromatics: Melt butter in the same pan, then sauté the minced onion until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Deglaze Pan: Return the cooked sausage to the pan, then pour in the chicken broth or white wine to deglaze. Scrape the bottom of the pan to lift any browned bits for added flavor.
- Create Sauce: Reduce heat to medium-low and add the heavy cream, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Melt Cheese and Thicken Sauce: Add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir continuously until it melts smoothly into the sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Add Spinach: Stir in the fresh baby spinach and cook until it wilts evenly into the sauce.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss thoroughly until the pasta is fully coated.
- Serve: Dish out the creamy sausage pasta hot and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Veggies – Swap out spinach for peas, sun-dried tomatoes, or mushrooms for variety.
- Make it richer – Add extra grated Parmesan cheese to create a more Alfredo-like sauce.
- Add some spice – Incorporate red pepper flakes for a touch of heat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 600 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
