Creamy Sausage Pasta
This pasta dish is so rich and incredibly creamy, yet somehow feels perfectly balanced and light. The sausage adds deep Italian flavors that brings this dish together. It's a winner for a not-too-heavy summery pasta!
What you'll need: Serves 4
1/2 to 1 pound ground Italian sausage
16 oz pasta (fusilli bucati, penne, rigatoni, etc.)
1 cup chicken broth, or dry white wine
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
2 handfuls fresh baby spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
How to make it:
Cook the pasta in a pot of salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water, drain and set aside.
Over medium heat, brown the sausage in a large skillet, about 5 minutes. Break up any clumps as it cooks. Drain any excess grease from the pan.
Add the white wine or chicken broth and deglaze the pan by scraping off any stuck-on browned bits from the pan. Let that liquid reduce by about half, simmering on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low, and pour in the heavy cream. Season with Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a gentle simmer, add in Parmesan and ricotta cheese and stir until the cheese melts smoothly into the sauce. Turn off the heat.
Add baby spinach and stir until the spinach wilts into the sauce.
Add the cooked pasta and toss until pasta is fully coated in the sauce. Feel free to use the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce to your liking.
Serve hot and enjoy!