Description
This Creamy Sausage and Peppers Pasta recipe combines savory Italian sausage with colorful bell peppers in a luscious cream sauce, tossed with your choice of pasta for a comforting and flavorful meal that’s perfect for weeknights or casual dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
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
Greens and Seasoning
- 2 cups packed fresh baby spinach
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Brown the sausage and sauté vegetables: While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high. 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. Add olive oil to the same skillet, then sauté the chopped onion and both bell peppers until softened and lightly browned.
- Prepare the creamy sauce: Reduce heat to medium. Stir in butter and minced garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and garlic, stirring constantly to cook the flour for one minute. Gradually whisk in the heavy cream and Dijon mustard until the sauce is smooth and combined.
- Combine sausage, spinach, and pasta: Add the cooked sausage and baby spinach to the skillet and toss to combine. Pour in a splash of hot pasta water to loosen the sauce slightly. Add the drained pasta to the skillet, tossing everything together until the spinach wilts and the pasta is thoroughly coated with the creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Serve the pasta immediately, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if using. Enjoy this hearty and delicious meal hot.
Notes
- You can use mild or spicy Italian sausage depending on your heat preference.
- Substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter sauce, though it will be less rich.
- Adding a splash of pasta cooking water helps thin the sauce and ensures it clings nicely to the pasta.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free pasta and substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Leftovers store well and reheat nicely in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of cream or water if needed to loosen the sauce.
