Description

This Creamy Sausage and Peppers Pasta recipe is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender pasta coated in a luscious cream sauce with Italian sausage, sautéed bell peppers, and fresh spinach. It’s an easy, satisfying meal perfect for weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

Pasta

8 ounces uncooked pasta (such as bucatini, penne, or rigatoni)

Sausage and Vegetables

1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ medium onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped

Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 cups packed fresh baby spinach
Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

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Instructions

Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
Brown the Sausage and Sauté Vegetables: While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up as it cooks until browned and cooked through. Remove the sausage from the skillet and set aside. In the same skillet, add olive oil, then sauté the chopped onion and both bell peppers until they are softened and lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.
Make the Cream Sauce: Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add butter and minced garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to create a roux. Slowly stir in heavy cream and Dijon mustard, whisking until the sauce is smooth and begins to thicken.
Combine Ingredients: Return the cooked sausage to the skillet along with the fresh baby spinach. Toss to combine. Add a splash of hot pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency. Then add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss everything together until the spinach wilts and the pasta is fully coated in the creamy sauce. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Serve: Serve the creamy sausage and peppers pasta immediately, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

For a spicier dish, use spicy Italian sausage instead of mild.
You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter sauce, although it may be less creamy.
Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten free.
If you prefer, add mushrooms or zucchini to the sautéed vegetables for extra flavor and nutrition.
Reserve some pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if needed.