Tuscan Sausage Pasta

This creamy Tuscan sausage pasta is a super easy and incredibly comforting and flavorful weeknight dinner recipe!

Oh man… I really liked this creamy sausage pasta recipe. I kept sneaking bites of the sauce before the pasta was cooked. I’m so bad at doing that. And I always forget to put the water on for the pasta. Sometimes until the sauce is entirely finished. I don’t do new year’s resolutions, but maybe putting the water for the pasta on BEFORE I start making the rest of the stuff is one I should implement. Sigh.

I have a few “Tuscan” (basically the sun-dried tomato + spinach combo and usually some basil and cream and plenty of garlic) recipes on here including my Tuscan chicken pasta, creamy Tuscan chicken breasts, Tuscan salmon, and Tuscan shrimp. They’re all variations of the same popular recipe. I just can’t get enough of these flavors.

I had some Italian sausage in the fridge that needed using up, so this is where the idea for this recipe came from. Just adding another winner to the Tuscan collection. 😛

Pro tip: I used mild Italian sausage, but if you prefer some heat, try hot Italian or add a pinch of cayenne pepper or some red pepper flakes to this dish.

I used fettuccine in this spinach sausage pasta recipe, but you can use any pasta you have on-hand. I tend to always prefer the “noodles” over the shapes, but to each their own.

I’ve made this without basil before, but I do recommend adding it if you can.

I will definitely be making this again. I’d take sausage over chicken most of the time. 🙂

Will you make this Tuscan sausage pasta? Do you love the sun-dried tomatoes/spinach combo as much as I do?

Let me know in the comments below!

5 from 3 votes

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Tuscan Sausage Pasta

This creamy Tuscan sausage pasta is a super easy and incredibly comforting and flavorful weeknight dinner recipe!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian American

Keyword creamy sausage pasta, creamy Tuscan sausage pasta, spinach sausage pasta

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Author Salt & Lavender

Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked pasta (I used fettuccine) 
• 10.6 ounces Italian sausages crumbled
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
• 1.5 cups baby spinach (loosely packed)
• Small handful fresh basil chopped finely
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste

Instructions

1. Boil a salted pot of water and cook pasta al dente according to package directions.

2. Take the sausages out of their casings and crumble the meat into a skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's nicely browned on the outside.

3. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside. If there's a lot of fat, discard most of it. 

4. Add the garlic, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, flour, and lemon juice to the pan. Stir until well combined (be sure to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan) and let it bubble for a minute or two.

5. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cream to the pan. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes. 

6. Add the susage back into the pan. Cook for another few minutes until the sauce has thickened up a bit. 

7. Stir in the basil and spinach. Let it cook for a minute or so until it wilts. Give the sauce a taste and season with extra salt & pepper if needed. 

8. Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Serve immediately with some freshly grated parmesan if desired. 

Recipe Notes

• I used the julienned sun-dried tomatoes that are packed in oil and drained the oil prior to adding them to the pan.
• I used 3 sausages from a 5-pack of Johnsonville mild Italian sausages. Anything in the ballpark weight-wise will work.