Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Italian Sausage
This Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Italian Sausage is a simple dinner recipe packed with flavor and a bit of spice! An easy dinner for a cozy weeknight but also perfect to serve to guests. This recipe uses the oil from the sun dried tomatoes to cook the sausage in adding so much extra flavor!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp sun dried tomato oil
- 12 oz short pasta, uncooked I used penne
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- ¾ cup sun dried tomatoes in italian herbs removed from the oil, but ok if some it still on it
- 4-5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ¼ cup chicken broth
- ⅓ - ½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated, more as desired
- ½ - ¾ cup pasta water
- 2 large handfuls baby spinach
- 1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper more or less based on desired spice
- ½ tsp cracked pepper
- ½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Bring pot of water to a boil. Add pasta to cook al dente according to package instructions.
- While pasta cooks, heat 1 Tbsp sun-dried tomato oil over medium-high heat in sauté pan. Add the Italian sausage and brown while breaking into small pieces. Once browned, remove from pan and drain excess grease. Set aside.
- Remove about 1 cup of pasta water before draining and pour the hot pasta over the spinach to allow it to wilt.
- Add 1 T tomato oil and sauté garlic for about 1 minute. Add tomatoes sauté for another minute. Add broth and spices/seasoning and simmer for about 3-4 minute, stirring frequently allowing it to cook down just a bit.
- Add cream and parmesan. Simmer to reduce slightly and allow the sauce to begin to thicken, Slowly add in the pasta water, about ¼ cup at a time allowing it come to desired thickness.
- Add in meat and pasta and toss to combine and allow the sauce to evenly coat. Serve topped with more grated parmesan and freshly chopped basil.
Notes
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for about 3-4 days. To freeze, make sure NOT to overcook the pasta, drain just before al dente even. Freeze once completely cooled for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container.
For a saucier dish, you can lessen the amount of pasta by a couple ounces. You can also add up to double the amount of cream, broth and parmesan to make it extra saucy and creamy!
Make this a vegetarian meal, or even vegan. Use a plant-based sausage and skip parmesan on top. You are all set!
When re-heating leftovers, toss with a drizzle of olive oil or add some more cream if the pasta seems a bit dry.
Nutrition
Calories: 598kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 889mg | Potassium: 948mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 512IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 3mg