Italian sausage, sundried tomatoes, and red pepper in a creamy, cheesy sauce, this Creamy Italian Sausage and Tomato Pasta is quick and easy, and it tastes amazing. It's sure to be your new go-to dinner on busy weeknights. A family favorite!
I love it when I can make a delicious dinner that everybody loves, that fills the kitchen with wonderful smells, and even has a little leftover that reheats beautifully for a midnight snack or tomorrow's lunch - all in the time that it takes to boil pasta. This Creamy Italian Sausage and Tomato Pasta is exactly that. 30 minute meals for the win!
This Creamy Italian Sausage and Tomato Pasta is filled with so many wonderful flavors - red bell peppers, sundried tomatoes, basil, a garlicky cream sauce, parmesan to deepen the flavor, and best of all - Italian sausage fragrant with garlic and fennel. You won't believe the crazy good smell it makes in your kitchen. You won't need to call anyone for dinner - they'll come running!
There are so many flavors going on in this Creamy Italian Sausage and Tomato Pasta, the kids won't even notice that you've slipped in some super healthy vegetables - spinach, red bell peppers, two kinds of tomatoes. That's a win-win!
Creamy Italian Sausage and Tomato Pasta is so quick and easy to make. Simply boil some pasta while you make the sauce. Sauté some onion and red bell pepper in a little olive oil for a minute or two. Add the sausage and cook until its brown and cooked through.
Stir in some finely minced garlic and chopped sundried tomatoes and let it sauté for a minute. Then add a can of chopped tomatoes, a bouillon cube, and ½ cup water and let it come to a bubbly simmer. Stir in the cream and let that simmer a minute or two. Add the parmesan, stir it in, let it melt, and turn off the heat. The cooking is done!
Stir in a big handful - or a bag if you like - of baby spinach. There's no need to chop it if you don't want to. I give mine a rough chop so it blends in better (i.e. so the kids don't recognize it). Ok, let's be honest, so I don't recognize it. No need to cook it, it will melt beautifully into the sauce and keep its bright green color.
All that's left is to sprinkle with some basil and toss it with the pasta. I like to toss the pasta with a spoon of butter first, but that's just personal preference. Also, if you want to make it ahead of time, keep the sauce and the pasta separate. The buttered pasta will stay hot a few hours if you wrap the pan in a blanket. The sauce can just be gently reheated before tossing with the pasta.
Busy families, I've got you covered! Enjoy!
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Recipe
Creamy Italian Sausage and Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne or other pasta 454g
- 1 tablespoon butter .5oz, 14g
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 lb Italian sausage 454g
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ cup sundried tomatoes chopped (100g)
- 15 oz chopped tomatoes 425g
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup parmesan cheese 1.5oz, 43g
- a large handful of baby spinach about 2.3oz, 65g, chopped or not
- a handful of fresh basil leaves about 1.5oz, 43g, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the pasta:
- Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with butter.
For the sauce:
- Sauté chopped onion and red pepper in olive oil for about a minute.
- Add sausage and cook until brown.
- Add minced garlic and chopped sundried tomato and sauté for about a minute.
- Add can of chopped tomatoes, bouillon cube, ½ cup water, and cook until bubbly.
- Add cream and let simmer for about 2 minutes.
- Stir in parmesan cheese until melted and turn off heat.
- Stir in baby spinach, let rest a minute or two. Stir in chopped basil. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss with hot buttered pasta.
Notes
- If your kids are like mine, go ahead and give the spinach a rough chop before cooking so it all but disappears!
Nutrition
Don't forget to pin for later!
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Kathy says
Sounds Delicious! Would it be possible to make and warm in a casserole dish with some added cheese on top? I’d like to take to a potluck get together?
Kelly says
I think that would work just fine, Kathy!