Creamy Tomato Pasta with Italian Sausage

Creamy Tomato Pasta with Italian Sausage ingredients

• 12 oz short pasta (e.g., penne, rigatoni, rotini)
• 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes
• 0.5 cup heavy cream
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 3 oz fresh spinach
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper

How to make Creamy Tomato Pasta with Italian Sausage

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the 12 ounces of short pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
3. Add the 1 pound of Italian sausage (casings removed) to the skillet. Break it apart with a spoon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's fully browned and no pink remains, about 6-8 minutes.
4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked sausage to a plate, leaving any rendered fat in the skillet. If there's excessive fat, carefully drain off all but 1 tablespoon.
5. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced yellow onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the 3 minced garlic cloves to the skillet and cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
7. Pour in the 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes. Stir well to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
8. Return the cooked sausage to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
9. Remove the lid and stir in 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese until fully incorporated and the sauce is creamy. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
10. Add the drained pasta and 3 ounces of fresh spinach to the skillet. Toss everything together until the spinach wilts and the pasta is well coated in the creamy sauce, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
11. Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese if desired.

More recipes you might like

Browse related collections