Description
Tuscan Sausage Pasta is a creamy, flavorful dish featuring browned Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and fresh spinach tossed with fettuccine pasta. This easy skillet recipe combines a rich, savory sauce with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese for a delicious and comforting Italian-inspired meal perfect for weeknights.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Other Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta (fettuccine recommended)
- 11 ounces Italian sausages (about 3 mild Italian sausages, casings removed)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (julienned, oil drained)
- 1 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
- 1.5 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach
- Small handful fresh basil, torn or chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the fettuccine al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside once done.
- Brown Sausage: While the pasta cooks, remove the casings from the Italian sausages and crumble the meat into a large skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is nicely browned and cooked through. Remove the sausage from the skillet and set aside. Drain and discard excess fat from the pan, leaving a small amount for flavor.
- Make Sauce Base: To the skillet, add the minced garlic, chicken broth or dry white wine, Dijon mustard, flour, and lemon juice. Stir well to combine and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Let the mixture simmer and bubble for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Add Cream and Tomatoes: Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and heavy cream. Allow the sauce to cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to combine flavors.
- Reintroduce Sausage and Thicken Sauce: Return the browned sausage to the skillet and cook together for a few more minutes until the sauce thickens to your liking.
- Finish with Greens and Herbs: Stir in the fresh basil and baby spinach. Cook for about 1 minute, or until the spinach wilts. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Toss Pasta and Serve: Drain the cooked pasta and immediately toss it with the sausage cream sauce. Serve hot topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Use julienned sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil; drain excess oil before adding to the pan for best flavor and texture.
- This recipe uses 3 sausages from a 5-pack of Johnsonville mild Italian sausages; any similar Italian sausage around 11 ounces total can be substituted.
- For a lighter dish, reduce heavy cream or substitute with half-and-half, but note the texture will be less rich.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 43g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
