Description
This creamy sun-dried tomato, spinach, and Italian sausage pasta dish combines savory chicken sausage with a rich, flavorful sauce made from tomato paste, white wine, and cream. Tossed with tender pasta, vibrant spinach, and tangy sun-dried tomatoes, it’s a comforting meal perfect for a quick yet impressive dinner.
Ingredients
Sausage and Pasta
- 1/2 pound raw Italian chicken sausage
- 8 oz dried pasta (pipe rigate/shellbows recommended)
- 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional or reduce if using spicy sausage)
- 6 oz fresh or frozen baby spinach, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and coarsely chopped
Sauce Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (adjust to taste)
Topping
- Parmesan cheese (for topping)
Instructions
- Boil Pasta: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil to cook the pasta.
- Cook Sausage: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of olive oil. Remove sausage from casing, add to skillet, and break into smaller pieces as it cooks for 2-3 minutes until mostly cooked.
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: Push sausage to the skillet edges, add diced onion and chopped garlic to the center, and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add Spices and Tomato Paste: Stir in red pepper flakes and tomato paste, cooking for 30 seconds to coat evenly. Add flour and stir until no dry bits remain.
- Deglaze with Wine and Add Broth: Pour in white wine and whisk until mostly evaporated. Gradually add chicken broth while whisking constantly until the sauce is smooth.
- Cook Pasta: Add pasta to boiling water and cook for approximately 1 minute less than package instructions to finish cooking in the sauce.
- Thicken Sauce and Add Cream: Continue whisking sauce over medium heat until it gently bubbles and thickens (about 5 minutes). Stir in heavy cream, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust seasoning depending on the saltiness of the broth.
- Drain Pasta and Combine: Drain pasta using a large slotted spoon or colander and transfer directly into the saucepan with the sauce, reserving some pasta water.
- Add Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Fold in spinach and sun-dried tomatoes gently to coat completely with the sauce. Let cook for 1-2 minutes until spinach wilts and the sauce thickens further. Add reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- Serve: Spoon pasta into bowls and top with shaved parmesan cheese. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use pipe rigate or shell-shaped pasta as recommended to hold the sauce well, but other short pasta shapes work too.
- Adjust red pepper flakes based on your spice tolerance or the spiciness of the sausage.
- Reserve some pasta water to adjust sauce thickness as needed when combining pasta and sauce.
- Chicken broth saltiness varies, so season the sauce accordingly after adding cream.
- This dish works well with fresh or frozen spinach; just chop coarsely if frozen.
- Shaving Parmesan on top adds a nice finishing touch but can be omitted or substituted if desired.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
