Creamy Sausage Pasta
This hits that perfect weeknight dinner spot - rich enough to feel special but simple enough to make after work. The sun-dried tomatoes add a nice tangy bite that cuts through all the cream.
Ingredients
Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 1 lb dry penne pasta
- 1 1/2 lbs Italian sausage mild or spicy
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes julienned
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream at room temperature
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- ~4 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook penne until al dente, about 10-12 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking into crumbles, 6-8 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, cooking 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits, and simmer until reduced by half.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Simmer gently 2-3 minutes without boiling.
- Add Parmesan and stir until sauce thickens.
- Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
- Add drained pasta and toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.
- Serve hot with extra Parmesan.
Notes
Do not let cream boil or it will curdle. Use room temperature cream for best results.
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how you liked it below!