Description
Sizzling 30-minute Italian sausage pasta blends robust flavors with tender spinach for a quick weeknight dinner. Hearty ingredients and simple techniques create a comforting meal you’ll savor from first bite to last.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 15 ounces (425 grams) Italian sausage, mild, crumbled
- 6 ounces (170 grams) fresh spinach
Pasta and Vegetables:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) pasta, farfalle (bow tie) or penne
- 8 ounces (226 grams) crimini mushrooms, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings and Sauce:
- 13 ounces (369 grams) tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning or herbs from Provence
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- Salt to taste
- Coarsely ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare a large pot of water and cook pasta according to package instructions at a rolling boil, typically 8-10 minutes until al dente.
- Heat olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium heat, creating a perfect sautéing environment.
- Sauté sliced mushrooms for 3-4 minutes until they release moisture and develop a golden-brown edge, then transfer to a separate plate.
- Crumble Italian sausage into the same skillet, cooking for 5-6 minutes until fully browned and no pink remains, carefully draining excess grease.
- Introduce minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to the sausage, creating an aromatic base for the sauce.
- Pour tomato pasta sauce into the skillet, stirring to combine with the sausage and spices, then gently fold in fresh spinach leaves.
- Simmer the sauce on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, allowing spinach to wilt and flavors to meld together, stirring occasionally.
- Drain the cooked pasta and add directly into the sauce, tossing thoroughly to ensure complete coating.
- Let the pasta reheat in the sauce for 2-3 minutes, allowing it to absorb the rich flavors.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, adjusting spice level with additional red pepper flakes if desired.
- Garnish with reserved sautéed mushrooms and serve immediately while piping hot.
Notes
- Customize heat levels by adjusting red pepper flakes for mild or spicy preferences.
- Select high-quality Italian sausage for maximum flavor depth and authentic taste.
- Prevent mushrooms from becoming soggy by cooking them separately and adding back at the end for perfect texture.
- Keep extra pasta water handy to help create a silkier sauce if mixture seems too thick during cooking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 507 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg