Creamy Pasta and Sausage

I got this recipe from my Today’s Parent magazine.  It’s tasty & quick.  A big hit in our house!

Creamy Pasta and Sausage

from Today’s Parent magazine

Ingredients

• 1 lb (500g) rigatoni pasta (or penne, if preferred)
• 1 lb (500 g) uncooked Italian sausages, mild or hot
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 6 cups (1.5L) baby spinach leaves, lightly packed (about 1/2 of a 284g bag)
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but not mushy.

Remove sausage meat from casings and place in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Cook, stirring to break up clumps, until no longer pink (about 5 minutes).  Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper.  Continue cooking until the onions are translucent about 3 to 5 minutes.

In a bowl, whisk together the milk, chicken broth and flour.  Add the liquid mixture to the pan with the sausage and cook, stirring, until it comes to a boil.  Reduce the heat and let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and thickened.

When the pasta is cooked, drain well and add to the pan with the sauce.  Add the spinach, toss, then add the parmesan cheese and mix well.  Serve immediately, with additional parmesan if you like.

Recipe Notes:

I used whole wheat pasta, skim milk & turkey Italian sausages for this recipe to make it more healthy.  Even with these changes, it was a winner.  We’ll definitely be making this again!

Don’t forget to check out what else is cooking this Wednesday over at Shan’s blog!