Sausage and Spinach Pasta
This sausage and spinach pasta combines Italian sausage, fresh greens, and gluten-free pasta in a silky olive oil sauce for a satisfying dairy-free dinner. Ready in just 30 minutes, it's perfect for weeknights, meal prep, or entertaining guests with dietary restrictions without sacrificing flavor or requiring complicated substitutions.
Ingredients
- 12 oz gluten-free pasta spaghetti, penne, or fusilli work well
- 1 pound Italian sausage casings removed (check labels for dairy-free and gluten-free options)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes adjust to taste
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth check for gluten-free if needed
- 8 oz fresh spinach about 6 cups
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh basil torn or roughly chopped
- ¼ cup dairy-free Parmesan alternative optional
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Additional olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the gluten-free pasta according to package directions, but check it 1-2 minutes before the suggested time—gluten-free pasta can go from perfect to mushy very quickly.
- Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. This is crucial for creating your silky sauce later! Drain the pasta but do not rinse it.
- While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks until it's browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked sausage to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess fat, but don't clean the skillet—those browned bits are flavor gold.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the same skillet. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the onions and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Watch carefully so the garlic doesn't burn.
- Pour in the chicken broth, using it to deglaze the pan by scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let it simmer and reduce by about half, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Return the cooked sausage to the skillet. Add the spinach in batches, stirring until wilted before adding more. This should take about 2 minutes total.
- Add the cooked pasta directly to the skillet along with ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together over medium heat until the pasta is well coated and the sauce begins to thicken slightly, about 1-2 minutes.
- If the mixture seems dry, add more pasta water, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately, topped with dairy-free Parmesan if using, and a light drizzle of good olive oil.
Notes
- The quality of your olive oil matters here since it's a key flavor component. Use the best you can afford.
- For meal prep, store the pasta and sauce separately to prevent the pasta from absorbing all the liquid.
- This dish reheats beautifully with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce.
- For an extra flavor boost, add a handful of pitted, chopped olives or sun-dried tomatoes with the spinach.
- Not all gluten-free pastas are created equal. Brown rice or corn-based varieties tend to hold their shape better than some others.