Creamy Penne With Sausage and Spinach

by Diana Rattray

Sausage, spinach, sage, and a creamy cheese sauce are featured in this earthy penne pasta dish.

Recipe Variations

• Replace the fresh spinach with 8 ounces of thawed and squeezed frozen spinach.
• Instead of Parmesan, use grated peccorino romano or shredded cheddar or Gruyère.
• Use turkey Italian sausage for a lighter dish.
• Add about 1/2 cup of chopped reconstituted sun dried tomatoes to the dish when you add the onions.
• Instead of penne, make the dish with elbows, ziti, rigatoni, or another tubular pasta.

Creamy Penne With Sausage and Spinach

Diana

This earthy penne pasta dish contains Italian sausage, spinach, and sage, tossed with a creamy cheese sauce.

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Servings 6 servings

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Course Italian Sausage, Pasta

Prep Time 14 minutes minutes

Cook Time 16 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  

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• 8 to 10 ounces chopped frozen spinach, thawed
• 3 cups penne pasta, about 12 ounces
• 12 ounces sweet Italian sausage
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh chopped sage
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Instructions

• Cook the penne pasta in boiling salted water following the package directions; save 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain.
• Meanwhile, crumble the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat; cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 more minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir the flour into the sausage mixture; stir and cook for 2 minutes longer.
• Add the sage and wine and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the chicken stock and spinach. Cook, until the spinach has wilted.
• Stir in the hot cooked penne pasta, cream, and 2/3 cup of Parmesan cheese. Heat through. Add some of the reserved pasta water, if desired.
• Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed.
• Spoon into a serving dish and top with more grated Parmesan cheese.

Keyword italian sausage, penne, sausage, spinach

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