This one is really easy.. throw it all in a skillet and let it cook. The sauce thickens as it cooks and with the addition of the Parm at the end, it thickens up a bit more and perfectly coats the pasta.
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Nice & Easy Sausage Pasta
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
A deliciously easy sausage pasta recipe with a creamy tomato sauce, perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 13 oz (370 g) (about 3/4 lb) whole wheat penne pasta (any tube pasta will do)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 lb (450 g) sweet Italian turkey sausage, casing removed
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14 1/2 oz) can fat-free, lower sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flake, more or less for heat
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 (14 1/2 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 (10 oz) package fresh baby spinach
- 1 (8 oz) package whole mushrooms, quartered
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and reserve.
- In a large skillet heat oil and add onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook until garlic is fragrant and onion is transluscent and mushrooms have released some liquid, about 8 minutes. Add sausage; crumble and cook through until no longer pink. Add broth, seasoning and tomatoes with liquid.
- Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes to reduce. Add spinach; cover skillet and simmer on reduced heat until spinach has wilted and become tender.
- Add pasta to skillet and mix together. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 490
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Quick Chicken Curry
- Casarecce Pasta with Lamb Sausage and Kale
- Sausage Polenta Bake
- Italian Sausage and Fennel Rigatoni
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the pasta cooked separately or does it cook in the skillet sauce?
The pasta is cooked separately in a large pot of salted boiling water for 8–10 minutes until al dente, drained, and then added to the skillet at the end. The sauce — sausage, broth, tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms — reduces on its own while the pasta cooks, and the two come together only in the final step before serving. 
How does the Parmesan thicken the sauce?
The article notes that the sauce thickens as it reduces and “with the addition of the Parm at the end, it thickens up a bit more and perfectly coats the pasta.” The 1/2 cup (120 ml) of grated Parmesan is stirred in off the heat right before serving; the starches and proteins in the cheese bind with the remaining liquid to form a coating sauce.
Can I adjust the heat level in this dish?
Yes. The recipe lists 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flake and notes “more or less for heat” directly in the ingredient list. Reduce or omit it entirely for a mild dish, or increase it for more spice — the fire-roasted tomatoes already add a subtle smokiness without extra heat.
