Orecchiette with Sausage and Spinach is a flavorful, satisfying dish ready in under 30 minutes! It's the perfect choice for an easy dinner that’s as quick as it is delicious.
One pan pasta dish with sausage and spinach
This is one of those dishes that once I took one bite, I knew it would be on repeat in our house. It's so simple, but somehow the flavors transform into the most amazing dish.
A mark of a great dish is twofold for me. First, I have to love it. I have to love the taste and I have to love the recipe itself. It needs to be fairly straightforward and easy for it to be on a regular rotation. And second, my husband has to love it. He doesn't always say if he likes something, but this time he told me, "This is really good!" And the proof was when he came back for seconds!
My favorite things about this dish:
- Comes Together Easily - Everything can be ready in less than 30 minutes!
- Meal All-in-One - It's got pasta, meat, and your veggie!
- Leftovers are Just as Delish - I heated up leftovers for lunch and nothing more was needed. Just as good, or maybe even a touch better, than straight off the stove!
Key ingredients
- Orecchiette Pasta - Pasta shaped like little hats or little ears (the Italian word for little ears is orecchiette). You can use any pasta but try to use a pasta that can hold some of the sauce. Small shells are a good alternative.
- Italian Sausage - Use hot or mild (sweet) Italian sausage. If possible, buy in bulk instead of links. Links can be used, but you'll need to remove the sausage from the casing.
- Spinach - Fresh baby spinach. I used two cups of spinach, but you could easily add up to four cups. It disappears quickly once cooked into the pasta.
- Heavy Cream - Adds richness to the dish.
- Chicken Broth or Stock - Adds flavor and richness.
- Parmesan Cheese - Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese!
- Lemon Zest - Adds brightness to the dish. You don't notice a lemony flavor, but the lemon zest makes the pasta even more amazing.
Making orecchiette pasta skillet dish
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add pasta and cook according to package directions. When pasta is cooked al dente or to your liking, drain well, but do not rinse.
- Meanwhile, cook Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- When the sausage is about halfway cooked, add the onions. Continue cooking until the sausage is cooked through.
- Drain off any excess grease.
- Add garlic and seasonings and stir together.
- Add chicken broth and stir to deglaze the pan scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until about half of the liquid has evaporated.
- Stir in heavy cream and then stir in spinach.
- Stir in cooked and drained pasta.
- Stir in freshly grated Parmesan and lemon zest.
- Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley if desired.
Recipe tips
- Start the pasta water right away. As soon as it's boiling, add the pasta and then start cooking the rest of the ingredients. The pasta should be finished about the same time as you are ready to add it to the sauce. This may vary depending on the type of pasta you are using.
- Make certain the pasta is fully drained. I give the colander a couple of shakes to help remove water that's stuck in the bowl part of the pasta.
- Taste the sauce before adding any salt or pepper. Many of the ingredients already contain salt and you may not need to add any.
- Feel free to double the amount of spinach. It seems like a lot, but it cooks way down.
Recipe variations
- Use chopped kale in place of the spinach.
- Add steamed broccoli along with the spinach.
- Toss in a few thin slices of sundried tomatoes.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine instead of chicken broth.
Frequently asked questions
Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, place a portion on a microwave-safe dish and heat for 60-90 seconds until heated through.
You bet! It's best with small-sized pasta like small shells, but you can use almost any pasta that you like.
Serving suggestions
While this orecchiette dish can be a meal all by itself, it's also delicious served with:
- Green Salad with homemade Italian Dressing
- Homemade Breadsticks
- Homemade Brownies for dessert
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious pasta recipes!
Orecchiette with Sausage and Spinach Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces orecchiette pasta
- 1 pound Italian sausage (bulk, without casings. Hot or mild)
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 - 4 cups fresh spinach (coarsely chopped)
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ lemon zest (from ½ a lemon)
- ½ cup pasta water (saved from cooking pasta. Used to thin sauce, if needed.)
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add pasta and cook according to package directions. When pasta is cooked al dente or to your liking, drain well, but do not rinse.8 ounces orecchiette pasta
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook Italian sausage.1 pound Italian sausage
- When the sausage is about halfway cooked, add the onions. Continue cooking until the sausage is cooked through.½ cup diced onion
- Drain off any excess grease.
- Add garlic and seasonings and stir together.1 teaspoon garlic, ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Add chicken broth and stir to deglaze the pan scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until about half of the liquid has evaporated.½ cup chicken broth
- Stir in heavy cream and then stir in spinach. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the cream begins to thicken and the spinach wilts.1 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 - 4 cups fresh spinach
- Stir in cooked and drained pasta.
- Stir in freshly grated Parmesan and lemon zest.¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, ½ lemon zest
- Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley if desired.
- If sauce is too thick, add a bit of saved pasta water and stir until desired consistency. Add just a few tablespoons at a time. You can also use chicken broth.½ cup pasta water
Notes
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- Start the pasta water right away. As soon as it's boiling, add the pasta and then start cooking the rest of the ingredients. The pasta should be finished about the same time as you are ready to add it to the sauce. This may vary depending on the type of pasta you are using.
- Before draining the pasta, scoop out a cup of the pasta water. You might need to use a bit if the sauce is too thick. Pasta water is perfect for adding to the sauce because it has starch from the pasta and helps make the sauce extra silky.
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- Make certain the pasta is fully drained. I give the colander a couple of shakes to help remove water that's stuck in the bowl part of the pasta.
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- Taste the sauce before adding any salt or pepper. Many of the ingredients already contain salt and you may not need to add any.
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- Feel free to double the amount of spinach. It seems like a lot, but it cooks way down.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Kyle & Rachael says
We made this one tonight, with shell pasta-it was AMAZING. Love the touch of the red pepper flakes! Very good comfort food! The sausage with the shells and the creamy sauce with a kick is a wonderful combination, though I'm not sure if we just went super heavy on the red pepper flakes LOL The spinach is a nice touch, too! Will be a staple in this household!
Kathy says
Yay!!! So glad you enjoyed it! Adjust the red pepper flakes to your liking. You can add a bit more or a bit less. 🙂