Sausage and Spinach Orecchiette

A comforting Italian pasta dish featuring tender orecchiette, savory Italian sausage, fresh spinach, and a rich tomato sauce, served with warm garlic bread for a complete meal.

• Prep: 20 min
• Cook: 30 min
• Total: 50 min
• Servings: 6
• Cuisine: Italian
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $2.90/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• comfort food
• savory

Ingredients

• 1 pound orecchiette pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound Italian sausage (casings removed)
• 1 yellow onion (medium, diced)
• 4 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 0.5 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 6 ounce fresh spinach
• 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 garlic bread
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (grated, for serving)

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the orecchiette pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
3. Add the diced yellow onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it cook for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
5. Once the pasta is al dente, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Add the fresh spinach to the sauce and stir until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Add the drained pasta to the sauce along with the reserved pasta water. Toss to combine.
6. Cook the garlic bread according to package instructions while the pasta finishes. Serve the pasta hot, topped with grated Parmesan cheese if desired, and a side of garlic bread.

Notes

Leftovers store well in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. For extra heat, add more red pepper flakes.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 650
• Protein: 32.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 70.8 g
• Fat: 27 g
• Fiber: 7.5 g
• Sodium: 1280 mg
• Saturated Fat: 9.2 g
• Sugar: 8 g
• Cholesterol: 60 mg