Description
This Creamy Sausage and Peppers Pasta is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender pasta tossed in a rich cream sauce with Italian sausage, sautéed bell peppers, and fresh spinach. Ready in just 40 minutes, it’s perfect for a hearty weeknight dinner that feels indulgent yet simple to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Meat
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta (such as bucatini, penne, or rigatoni)
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed
Vegetables & Aromatics
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups packed fresh baby spinach
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional Toppings
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set 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. Add chopped onion and both red and yellow bell peppers. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned.
- Make Sauce: Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and minced garlic to the skillet, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and garlic, stirring constantly to cook the flour for one minute.
- Add Cream and Mustard: Slowly stir in the heavy cream and Dijon mustard until the sauce is smooth and begins to thicken slightly.
- Combine Ingredients: Return the cooked sausage to the skillet along with the fresh baby spinach. Stir to combine well. Add a splash of the hot pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Toss Pasta: Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss everything together until the spinach is wilted and pasta is fully coated with the creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Serve the pasta immediately, optionally topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
Notes
- Use any short pasta shape like penne, rigatoni, or bucatini for the best results.
- For a spicier dish, choose spicy Italian sausage instead of mild.
- If the sauce is too thick, add more reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.
- Fresh baby spinach wilts quickly—add it last to maintain its vibrant color and texture.
- Parmesan cheese is optional but adds a nice salty finishing touch.
