Sweet Italian sausage and sun-dried tomatoes flavor a cream sauce for penne, with spinach, Parmesan, and fresh herbs stirred in at the end.
Reserve the tomato oil
Save two tablespoons of oil from the tomato jar before draining. Brown the sausage in that oil, then add the sliced tomatoes later with the softened onion and garlic.
Penne with Creamy Sausage and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
Penne tossed with sweet Italian sausage, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, heavy cream, and Parmesan.
Ingredients
Kosher Salt for pasta water and seasoning, to taste- ¾ Cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Oil drained and sliced crosswise; reserve 2 tablespoons of the packing oil
- 1 Lb Sweet Italian Sausage raw pork sausage, bulk or removed from casings
- 1 Lb Penne
- 1 Sm Yellow Onion finely chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic finely chopped
- 2 Cups Heavy cream
- 5 oz Baby Spinach
- ¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese grated (about 1 oz.), plus more for serving
- ½ Cup Parsley fresh, chopped. or basil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne according to its package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup cooking water before draining. Prepare the sausage and sauce while the pasta cooks.
- Heat the reserved 2 tablespoons tomato-packing oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the raw pork sausage and break it into bite-size pieces. Cook about 8–10 minutes until browned and cooked through to 160°F (71°C), checking a larger piece with a food thermometer.
- Add chopped onion and garlic to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook 5–7 minutes, stirring, until softened. Stir in the sliced sun-dried tomatoes for about 1 minute. Add heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in spinach until wilted. Remove from the heat and stir in Parmesan. Add drained penne and toss gently. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time only if needed to loosen the sauce. Taste before adding salt, since sausage, tomatoes, and cheese are already seasoned.
- Divide among four portions and finish with chopped parsley or basil and extra Parmesan as desired.
Notes
Original ingredient amounts and four-serving yield are retained; these are generous portions. Reserve the tomato oil before draining the tomatoes. The recipe specifies pork sausage and a 160°F endpoint. Timing is an estimate with pasta and sauce cooking alongside each other. No nutrition calculation is supplied.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Adapted from Olivia Mack McCool at Delish.