Italian Sausage Pasta Recipe

scrumptious Italian sausage pasta loaded with browned sausage, onions, garlic, rigatoni, sundried tomatoes, and spinach, all in an easy creamy parmesan sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Italian Sausage
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon crushed rosemary
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 12 ounces of uncooked rigatoni
• ¾ cup chicken broth
• 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
• ⅔ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• ⅔ cup sun-dried tomatoes julienne cut, packed in oil drained
• 3-4 cups baby spinach
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Start browning the Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. After 3–4 minutes, add the onion and continue cooking until the sausage is browned and the onions are soft. Reduce the heat to low.  Add the garlic, marjoram, black pepper, rosemary, thyme leaves, and red flakes of pepper, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Plate the sausage mixture and cover it with foil.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain well.
• Add the chicken broth to the skillet, working to deglaze the bottom and collect all the brown bits. Add the heavy cream to the skillet. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Let it be reduced by about half.
• Turn the heat to low and stir in the parmesan cheese, sundried tomatoes, and spinach. Continue cooking until the cheese is melted and the spinach is wilted. Add the sausage mixture and pasta to the skillet. Stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking over low heat until the pasta dish is heated through.

Notes

• Several shapes of medium pasta will work with this dish, including ziti, rotini, elbow, medium shells, cavatappi, and penne pasta.
• Use a spoon to break up the Italian sausage so you have some small pieces and a few larger pieces. Variety is good.
• The cream and chicken broth mixture can take up to 20 minutes to reduce, so plan accordingly. Reduce by about 50%.
• For optimal flavor, drain the oil from the sundried tomatoes.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
• Because of the amount of cream, I do not recommend freezing this dish. It would not harm you. It just would not be as appetizing or aesthetically appealing.

Nutrition

Calories: 1107kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 74g | Saturated Fat: 36g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 199mg | Sodium: 1314mg | Potassium: 841mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3647IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 344mg | Iron: 4mg