Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta

5 from 1 vote

This Italian sausage creamy pasta is a cozy, one skillet dinner with tender rigatoni, flavorful sausage, sun dried tomatoes, and spinach all coated in a rich, velvety parmesan cream sauce. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: servings (approximately 1 ½ cups each)

Calories: 1177kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

¾ pound rigatoni pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ pound mild Italian sausage
¾ cup small diced yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
½ teaspoon salt plus additional for cooking pasta
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1¾ cups heavy cream
¾ cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes packed in herbed olive oil, oil drained from an 8.5-ounce jar
1½ cups shredded parmesan cheese
3 cups lightly packed baby spinach from a 5-ounce container

Optional Garnish

Chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the rigatoni pasta for 9-11 minutes until al dente or according to package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, proceed with the rest of the recipe.
¾ pound rigatoni pasta
Preheat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, sausage, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to the skillet.
1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ pound mild Italian sausage, ¾ cup small diced yellow onion, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning blend, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Cook for 9-11 minutes or until the sausage is golden brown and the onions and spices are soft and fragrant.
Transfer the cooked sausage to a paper towel lined plate to allow any excess grease to drain and set aside. Discard the paper towel before returning the sausage to the skillet.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the unsalted butter. Once the butter has melted, add the all-purpose flour and whisk to combine until all the flour has been absorbed by the butter. Cook the flour mixture for 1 minute or just until light golden brown.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until no lumps of flour remain. Whisk in the heavy cream and sun-dried tomatoes. Bring to a low boil then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, until reduced by about half and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Be sure to whisk often to ensure the sauce does not clump or burn.
1 cup chicken broth, 1¾ cups heavy cream, ¾ cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes
Slowly stir in the parmesan cheese until fully incorporated then stir in the baby spinach until the leaves are fully wilted.
1½ cups shredded parmesan cheese, 3 cups lightly packed baby spinach
Add the reserved sausage mixture and drained pasta to the skillet. Stir to evenly combine and coat the pasta with the sauce. Remove from the heat before garnishing with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Chopped fresh parsley

Notes

Storage:

Store: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over medium low heat, adding a few tablespoons of chicken broth to loosen the sauce
Freeze: Freezing is not recommended since cream based sauces can separate when thawed
Make ahead: This dish can be made a few hours in advance, but it is best served fresh. Keep the sauce slightly loose and reheat gently with added broth before serving

Tips:

Remove sausage casing before cooking if using links
Use uncooked Italian sausage, not smoked or cured sausage
Keep the heat low once cream is added to prevent separation
Stir often while the sauce simmers to keep it smooth
Add spinach at the very end so it wilts without overcooking

Nutrition