Creamy Sausage Pasta
User Reviews
5
Creamy Sausage Pasta
Description
This recipe cooks penne pasta until al dente and reserves some pasta water for a silkier sauce. Sausage is browned with onions and garlic for a flavorful meat base. Flour is added to form a roux, followed by chicken broth and Italian seasoning to build a lightly spiced broth-like sauce. Heavy cream and Parmesan cheese are incorporated for richness and depth. Fresh spinach is added last, wilting slightly in the residual heat to keep its color and provide freshness.
The texture is creamy and smooth, thickened by the flour and cheese. The savory sausage bits contrast with tender pasta and leafy spinach, offering a balanced mouthfeel. The recipe suggests that if cooking vessels are limited, mixing pasta and sauce separately is fine, and spinach can be heated alone if needed.
This pasta serves as a satisfying dinner requiring no elaborate preparation. Adjusting spinach to frozen requires extra attention to remove water to avoid thinning the sauce. Overall, the dish offers a hearty, creamy meal with familiar Italian flavors.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces penne pasta set aside 1/2 cup pasta water after cooking
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 onion chopped small, about 1/2 cup
- 1 pound Italian sausage remove casing if using links
- 1 tablespoons garlic or 3-4 cloves minced finely, minced
- 2 teaspoons flour
- ½ cup chicken broth low sodium
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
- 2 cups spinach chopped, fresh
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water in a medium sized pot according to the package directions until al dente according to package instructions. (Usually about 9 minutes.) Strain and set aside when finished cooking, keeping ¼ cup of the starchy water the pasta cooked in.
- While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft about 2-3 minutes.
- Place the sausage in the skillet, removing the casing if using links. Cook the sausage with the vegetables until cooked through and no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes over medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add the flour to the sausage, sprinkling it evenly. Cook for about 30 seconds over medium high heat then turn the heat to medium-low. Add the chicken broth, Italian seasoning and pepper. Stir the mixture well to deglaze the pan.
- Turn the pot to low. Pour the pasta water into the pan, followed by the heavy cream. Slowly bring the mixture to a gentle simmer until you reach medium high heat, then reduce the heat until the sauce is just simmering. Simmer the sauce for about 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the parmesan cheese to the sauce a little at a time, stirring well until it is fully mixed into the sauce. Combine the sauce with the cooked pasta and stir well until the pasta is fully covered. (see notes)
- Add the chopped spinach and stir for about a minute until it wilts while the pasta is still hot, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Use a large, deep skillet for cooking and mixing the pasta and sauce; if unavailable, combine in a large bowl after cooking.
- Add spinach while the sauce is hot to allow it to wilt naturally; reheat spinach separately if needed.
- When using frozen spinach, cook and drain it before adding to prevent excess moisture which might thin the sauce.
- Dry spinach well with paper towels to maintain sauce consistency.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 645 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 645kcal | 32% |
| Carbohydrates | 47g | 16% |
| Protein | 19g | 38% |
| Fat | 42g | 65% |
| Saturated Fat | 22g | 110% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 117mg | 39% |
| Sodium | 556mg | 23% |
| Potassium | 399mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 1656IU | 33% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 120mg | 12% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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