Description
This Creamy Sausage and Peppers Pasta recipe delivers a comforting and flavorful Italian-inspired dish perfect for a hearty weeknight dinner. Featuring tender pasta tossed with savory browned Italian sausage, sautéed colorful bell peppers, and a luscious creamy sauce enriched with fresh spinach and a hint of Dijon mustard, this meal is as satisfying as it is easy to prepare in just 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Sausage
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta (such as bucatini, penne, or rigatoni)
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed
Vegetables and 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
Sauce Ingredients
- 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
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 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 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 as it cooks until browned and cooked through. Remove sausage from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: To the same skillet, add olive oil, then sauté the chopped onion and both red and yellow bell peppers until softened and lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.
- Make Sauce: Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and minced garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Gradually stir in the heavy cream and Dijon mustard until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
- Combine Ingredients: Return the browned sausage and fresh spinach to the skillet. Toss everything together until the spinach begins to wilt. Add a splash of hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Finish Pasta: Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat thoroughly with the creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Serve the pasta immediately, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired for an extra savory touch.
Notes
- Use mild or spicy Italian sausage based on your heat preference.
- Any short pasta like penne, rigatoni, or bucatini works well to hold the creamy sauce.
- For a lighter version, substitute half and half or milk for the heavy cream, but the sauce may be less rich.
- Add crushed red pepper flakes with the garlic for extra heat.
- If you can’t find fresh spinach, baby kale or arugula can be good substitutes.
