Description
Orecchiette with Sausage and Spinach brings Italian countryside comfort to your kitchen. Hearty Italian sausage mingles with tender spinach, creating a rustic pasta experience that connects Mediterranean flavors with home-style cooking you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 16 ounces (454 grams) Italian sausage (casings removed, if applicable)
- 8 ounces (226 grams) uncooked orecchiette pasta
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach, packed
Additional Ingredients:
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup dry white wine
Garnish and Seasoning:
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a generously salted large pot of water and cook orecchiette pasta until perfectly tender, following package timing for al dente texture (typically 8-9 minutes).
- Sear Italian sausage and diced onions in a spacious skillet over medium-high temperature, continuously stirring until meat browns completely and onions soften, approximately 8-10 minutes.
- Drain any accumulated excess fat from the skillet to prevent greasy finish.
- Reduce cooking temperature to medium and introduce minced garlic and Dijon mustard, allowing aromatics to bloom for 30-45 seconds while releasing intense flavors.
- Deglaze the skillet with white wine, allowing liquid to reduce by half and concentrate the underlying flavor profile, which requires approximately 1-2 minutes of simmering.
- Gently fold fresh spinach and chopped basil into the sausage mixture, stirring until greens wilt and become vibrant and tender.
- Transfer drained pasta directly into the skillet, tossing thoroughly to ensure every orecchiette is generously coated with the rich, savory sauce.
- Season comprehensively with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to enhance overall taste.
- Optional: Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for additional depth and creaminess before serving hot.
Notes
- Pasta water is crucial for creating a silky sauce that helps ingredients cling perfectly to orecchiette’s unique shape.
- Thoroughly brown sausage to develop deep, rich flavors that elevate the entire dish’s taste profile.
- Use fresh spinach for vibrant color and maximum nutritional benefits, wilting it quickly to preserve its bright green hue.
- White wine adds sophisticated acidity and helps deglaze the pan, capturing all the delicious browned bits from cooking sausage.
- Dijon mustard provides subtle tang and complexity, blending seamlessly with the savory sausage and herbaceous basil.
- Finish with freshly grated Parmesan for a salty, umami-rich topping that transforms this simple pasta into a restaurant-quality meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Boiling, Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg