Sausage Orecchiette with Peppers and Spinach

A serving bowl of orecchiette with Italian sausage and vegetables.

No ratings yet

Sausage Orecchiette with Peppers and Spinach

Sausage Orecchiette with Peppers and Spinach is a rich and flavorful Italian pasta night! Orecchiette, the "tiny ears pasta" is tossed with just a handful of fresh ingredients in a simple cream sauce that's ready in 30 minutes!

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings:

Calories: 831kcal

Author: Meryl Downing

Ingredients

1 pound orecchietta pasta
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 small onion chopped
1½ or 2 red bell peppers sliced
3 cloves garlic minced
3 cups fresh baby spinach
½ cup heavy cream
1 to 2 cups starchy pasta cooking water (reserved from boiling the pasta)
1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
Tablespoon fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, basil or sage)

Instructions

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water, about 9 to 13 minutes (taste one!). BEFORE DRAINING, scoop out and reserve 2 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water for the sauce. A coffee mug, ladle or measuring cup works well to transfer it into a glass measuring cup.
In a large skillet over medium to medium high heat, begin to brown the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add the onion and red bell peppers to cook along with it.
Cook the sausage, onion and bell peppers together until the sausage is browned. Really let it get crispy and caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the garlic and spinach and stir a minute until fragrant.
Add the cream and 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and allow the sauce to simmer, about 5 minutes, reducing the heat down as needed. Stir often to wilt in the spinach.
Add the drained pasta, Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs to the sauce and toss well. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Cooking Time for Orecchiette - The box of orecchiette I used said to boil 9 to 10 minutes, but mine took quite a bit longer than that, about 13 minutes. Taste one, they should be al dente, with a little bite and not mushy.
Let the Sausage Caramelize! - Don't just cook the sausage through, let it go a little further than that! You want it crispy and caramelized, along with the onions and peppers. Don't rush this step, it adds all the flavor!
Adjusting the Cream Sauce - Creamy pasta will continue to reduce, thicken and then dry out the longer you simmer it. This is where you want to stretch the sauce with the reserved starchy pasta cooking water. Add 1 cup with the heavy cream, then another cup as needed. You can also add another splash of milk, half & half, cream or water if the pasta gets to dry, especially when reheating.
Bell Peppers - I used 1.5 red bell peppers. You could easily use 2 if they are smaller or just 1 if it's larger. I love the extra veggies, so more is always better! You could also add a handful of cherry tomatoes when you add the spinach!

Nutrition