Creamy Sausage Pasta

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Creamy Sausage Pasta starts with thick, saucy fettuccine tossed with crumbled Italian sausage, succulent sun-dried tomatoes, and tender spinach.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Creamy Sausage Pasta

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 663kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $9.32

Ingredients

10 oz. fettuccine (not the entire package!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
10 oz. ground Italian sausage Note 1
1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, separated
Fine sea salt and pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic (~3 cloves)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1-1/3 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Note 2
4 light packed cups baby spinach Note 3
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, optional
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil Note 4
For serving: finely chopped Italian parsley OR basil or thyme, additional Parmesan cheese, or some crusty bread to sop up extra sauce -- yum!

US - Metric

Instructions

PASTA: Set a large colander in the sink with a glass mug or liquid measuring cup in the center of the colander. (This is so you don't forget to reserve some pasta water before draining the pasta!) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt the water and then cook the pasta according to package instructions subtracting 1-1/2 minutes from what the package indicates. Use the glass mug to remove a big scoop of pasta water (set aside for now) and then drain the pasta and set aside. Don't rinse under cool water.
SAUSAGE: Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large heavy bottom skillet. Heat to medium-high heat and add in the sausage, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and salt & pepper to taste (I add 1/2 teaspoon of each). Cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon until browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage onto a paper-towel-lined plate. Leave any grease behind, but if there is more than 1 tablespoon grease, drain off the excess.
GARLIC: Reduce heat to medium and add the butter to the skillet. Once melted, add garlic and a tiny pinch of salt & pepper. Cook, until golden, about 30 seconds. Pour in 1/2 cup of chicken broth; it should sizzle and boil. Scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Once this 1/2 cup is mostly evaporated, add in the other 1/2 cup. Stir.
CREAM SAUCE: Add in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer, over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes or until it thickens up and slightly reduces. The sauce shouldn't boil; reduce heat/stir more frequently it needed. Once thickened, mix in the remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and Dijon mustard if using.
TOSS: Add the spinach and pasta and use tongs to toss into the cream sauce until the sauce thickens, nicely coats the pasta, and the spinach cooks down (1-2 mins). If needed (if the sauce is too thick), slowly add in that reserved pasta water. After tossing for about a minute, add in the reserved sausage and continue to toss.
SERVE: Serve immediately. Top individual plates with a touch more Parmesan if desired, and fresh thyme or basil if using. Enjoy immediately -- we love serving some crusty toasted sourdough on the side to sop up extra sauce! Pasta is best enjoyed right after being tossed!

Video

Notes

Note 1: Sausage: Depending on personal preference, use mild or spicy sausage. For more heat (and flavor), use spicy sausage and if you're sensitive to spice use a mild or sweet sausage instead. If some of your guests want more spice and others don't, use mild sausage and serve red pepper flakes on the side! Remove sausage casings before adding to the skillet!

Note 2: Parmesan: Grab a block of Parmesan cheese and grate it on the small holes of a cheese grater to get an accurate measurement and the perfect melt in this sauce.

Note 3: Spinach: While the spinach doesn’t have to be chopped it does integrate better in the dish that way. Plus, you’ll get spinach in more bites. I just quickly run a chef's knife through a big pile of spinach!

Note 4: Sun-dried tomatoes: We love using sun-dried julienne-cut tomatoes with herbs. The herbs in the tomatoes add additional flavor without any extra work on your part. More flavor in the tomatoes = fewer overall ingredients you need to re-create this dish.

Nutrition