Description
Creamy Tuscan sausage pasta is a comforting mix of pasta, Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach smothered in a rich cream sauce.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 16 oz. rigatoni pasta
- 1 lb. ground Italian sausage, mild, sweet, or hot
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine/chicken broth
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 3 oz. fresh baby spinach, about 3 cups tightly packed
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley/basil to garnish, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a pot of salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse and set aside.
- Over medium heat, brown the sausage in a large skillet. Break up any clumps and brown until slightly golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Melt butter, add in olive oil and saute sun-dried tomatoes for about 1 minute (see notes).
- Toss in garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, pour in white wine or chicken broth and scrape off any stuck-on browned bits from the pan.
- Add heavy cream and bring to a gentle boil. Add Parmesan cheese in batches, stirring until the cheese melts smoothly into the sauce.
- Season with Italian seasoning, paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Add baby spinach and stir until the spinach wilts into the sauce.
- Add cooked sausage and pasta and toss to fully coat in the sauce.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley, basil, or extra Parmesan cheese and dish and serve hot.
- Enjoy!
Notes
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Substitute the spinach – You can substitute spinach with fresh basil, asparagus spears, bell peppers, mushrooms, or broccoli.
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Add more flavor – Saute some freshly chopped yellow onions in the butter for more flavor.
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Add some zest – Add more vibrant flavors with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
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Add some bite– Add a little bite by adding a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to the cream sauce.
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Add some heat – Add a few dashes of crushed red pepper for some heat.
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Make it richer – For a richer, Alfredo-like sauce, add more grated Parmesan cheese.
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Sautéing in sun-dried oil – You can use sun-dried oil instead of olive oil while sautéing the garlic to add more flavor.
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Scroll up to RECIPE TIPS for more useful tips, suggestions and ingredient substitutions.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins