Description
This Creamy Sausage and Peppers Pasta is a comforting, flavorful dish combining al dente pasta with savory Italian sausage, sautéed bell peppers, and a rich, creamy sauce. Enhanced with baby spinach and a touch of Dijon mustard, it’s a hearty meal perfect for weeknight dinners that comes together in about 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta (such as bucatini, penne, or rigatoni)
Sausage and Vegetables
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Additional Ingredients
- 2 cups packed fresh baby spinach
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Brown Sausage: While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove the sausage from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet, add olive oil. Sauté the chopped onion, red bell pepper, and yellow bell pepper until they become soft and lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.
- Make Sauce: Reduce the heat to medium. Add butter and minced garlic to the skillet and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook the flour. Gradually stir in the heavy cream and Dijon mustard until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
- Combine Ingredients: Return the cooked sausage to the skillet along with the fresh baby spinach. Toss to combine and let the spinach wilt.
- Add Pasta and Finish: Add a splash of hot pasta water to the skillet to help loosen the sauce. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss everything together until the pasta is well coated with the creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Serve immediately, optionally topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for added richness and flavor.
Notes
- You can use any type of short pasta like rigatoni, penne, or bucatini for this recipe.
- For a spicier dish, use spicy Italian sausage instead of mild.
- If you prefer a lighter sauce, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream but the texture will be less rich.
- Make sure to save some pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency if needed.
- Freshly grated Parmesan adds great flavor but can be omitted for a dairy-free option.
