Description
A flavorful and hearty Tomato Spinach Sausage Pasta recipe that combines Italian sausage, fresh spinach, and cherry tomatoes in a delicious and easy-to-make sauce, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage and Sauce
- 1 lb (450g) Italian sausage meat (mild or spicy)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 7 oz (200g) cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 handful fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Pasta
- 4 servings pasta (we used farfalle)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain the pasta and set it aside for later use.
- Cook the sausage and garlic: While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and sauté until it is almost cooked through. Then add the chopped garlic and continue cooking until fragrant and the sausage is fully cooked and no longer pink.
- Add tomatoes and spices: Stir in the roughly chopped cherry tomatoes, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Let the mixture cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes soften and blend well with the sausage, creating a rich base for the sauce.
- Finish the sauce: Mix in the tomato puree and add the fresh spinach. Stir continuously until the spinach wilts and the sauce thickens slightly, locking in all the flavors together.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add the drained pasta into the skillet with the sausage and tomato sauce. Toss everything together thoroughly to coat the pasta evenly. Season with ground black pepper and sprinkle chili flakes on top to your preferred taste before serving.
Notes
- For a spicier dish, use spicy Italian sausage and increase the cayenne pepper to taste.
- You can substitute farfalle pasta with penne or rigatoni if preferred.
- Fresh spinach can be replaced with baby kale or Swiss chard for a different leafy green twist.
- To make this dish gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta.
- Leftovers store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
