Description
If you’re looking for a quick and simple meal, this creamy sausage pasta with spinach delivers rich flavor with minimal effort. Italian sausage, fresh spinach, and a luscious cream sauce come together in just 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound penne pasta or pasta of choice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 5–6 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons white wine
- 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (½ teaspoon for more heat)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large 12” skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté diced shallots for 3 minutes until softened.
- Add minced garlic, salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Italian sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and fully cooked.
- Pour in white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits.
- Add spinach in batches, stirring until wilted after each addition.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream and nutmeg.
- Add grated Pecorino Romano cheese and cook, stirring, until sauce begins to simmer (do not boil).
- Combine the cooked pasta with the sauce and sausage. Toss until fully coated.
- Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Stir before serving.
Notes
- For a lighter version, use turkey sausage and half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- Reserve some pasta water to thin out the sauce if needed.
- Adjust crushed red pepper to your preferred spice level.
- Freshly grated cheese melts better than pre-shredded varieties.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 250g)
- Calories: 620 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
Keywords: creamy sausage pasta with spinach, easy creamy pasta, sausage spinach pasta, weeknight dinner, Italian pasta recipe