Creamy Sausage Pasta

nibbleboard.com/recipes/creamy-sausage-pasta

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook penne according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
3. Add the Italian sausage, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt. Break the sausage into crumbles with a wooden spoon and cook until browned and no longer pink, about 7 minutes.
4. Drain any excess fat from the skillet if needed.
5. Reduce heat to low and pour in the heavy cream. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Add the baby spinach and stir constantly until wilted, about 3 minutes.
7. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
8. Toss the cooked penne into the skillet and fold everything together until the pasta is evenly coated.
9. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan, cracked black pepper, and fresh basil if desired.

Nutrition per Serving

Chef Tips

• I always undercook the pasta by about a minute since it finishes in the sauce — keeps it from getting mushy.
• Use hot or mild Italian sausage depending on your family's spice tolerance. I use mild when Ben's eating and hot for Matt and me.
• Don't skip draining the sausage fat — too much grease will make the cream sauce separate and look oily instead of silky.
• If you can't find ground Italian sausage, buy links and squeeze the meat out of the casings. Same flavor, just one extra step.
• Leftovers thicken up a lot in the fridge. Reheat with a splash of milk or cream to bring the sauce back to life.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce thickens as it sits — that's normal.