Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta

Sausage, Sun-dried Tomato, and Spinach Pasta is flavor-packed and hearty enough to feed a family.

There’s a lot to love about this recipe. Delicious Parmesan-laced cream sauce. Generous chunks of mild Italian sausage. Plenty of dried herbs. Fresh spinach. But then we come to the unique element – julienned sun-dried tomatoes. Concentrated tomato sweetness strikes the perfect counterbalance to the rich and savory elements of this dish.

Sausage, Sun-dried Tomato, Spinach Pasta Tips

Bulk sausage or links – The original recipe called for bulk mild Italian sausage, but I used links and removed the casing. Either option works.

Make-ahead option – You can brown the sausage/onion/herb mixture and make the chicken broth/cream sauce in advance. Cover and refrigerate both until you’re ready to finish the remaining steps.

Then, prepare the pasta. Rewarm the sausage in the microwave. Simmer the cream sauce gently in a skillet and add the Parmesan, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Follow the directions from this point in the recipe to complete this dish.

Precooked pasta – I used two 8.5 oz packages of precooked penne pasta, which is my new favorite easy button. But you can always go the tradition route and boil up some penne or rigatoni.

Reheating Leftovers – I recommend adding a little half and half or cream plus a splash of chicken broth, to leftovers before warming them in a microwave. Pasta has a way of sucking up all the sauce so a little extra liquid and a low power setting on the microwave works best.

The Epic Mess; a Cook’s Confession

I was feeling proud of myself for prepping this recipe in advance early one morning. I had a mid-morning appointment and wanted it to be easy peasy when I got home. Then my epic failure changed everything.

Somehow I managed to baptize my entire stove with almost half of the sauce as I poured it into my skillet. We are talking thick cream sauce puddled on the surface of the stove, the burner covers, the back of the stove, including between the glass panes of my oven door and the floor. What the heck?! Still no idea how I managed that.

After some initial wiping up and adding more broth and cream to my sauce, I completed the pasta and thoroughly enjoyed the result. The deeper cleaning after lunch involved almost a full roll of paper towels and a screw driver. So glad this meal was worth this much effort!

Can’t Get Enough Pasta?

Here are some of my other pasta favorites.

Creamy Lemon Shrimp & Asparagus Pasta

A creamy Alfredo sauce with bright lemony flavor, plump shrimp, and asparagus nestled into your favorite pasta.

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Creamy Chicken & Bacon Pasta

Pasta with seasoned sliced Chicken, Bacon, Spinach, and Tomatoes in a delicious Parmesan Garlic Cream Sauce.

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Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pasta

Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, Italian herbs and penne wrapped in a rich Parmesan-cream sauce.

4.11 from 19 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 generous servings

Author: Adapted from Small Town Women Italian Sausage Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Italian Sausage
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 12 ounces uncooked penne or 2 packages of precooked microwaveable pasta, 8.5 oz each.
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for topping
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes julienne cut packed in oil drained
• 4-5 cups baby spinach
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• On medium heat, brown the Italian Sausage for 3-4 minutes, crumbling the meat as it cooks. Add the onion and continue cooking until the sausage is browned and the onions are soft, another few minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the garlic, oregano, fennel seeds, black pepper, rosemary, thyme leaves, and crushed red pepper, cooking for 1 minute. Remove the sausage mixture and keep warm (I use a plate and a pan cover.)
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package instructions and drain well. Note – If you're using pre-cooked pasta, wait until the sauce has reduced before microwaving.
• Add the chicken broth to the skillet and scrape up any brown bits. Add the heavy cream, bring to a boil and reduce by half on a low simmer (about 10 minutes.)
• Turn the heat to low and stir in the parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Continue cooking until the cheese is melted and the spinach is wilted (a few minutes.) Add the sausage mixture and pasta to the skillet. Stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper , if desired. Top with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

Make ahead:

Cook sausage, onion, and herb mixture and then refrigerate. Reduce broth and whip cream mixture and refrigerate.

Rewarm the sausage mixture in the microwave when you are ready to finish the recipe. Pour cream sauce into a large skillet, and return to a low simmer. Proceed with the recipe, adding Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. Then add pasta and sausage.