Orecchiette with Sausage and Spinach
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A simple, rustic pasta combined with a spicy sausage and pesto makes for a quick and easy mid-week dinner. What’s even better is this Orecchiette with Sausage and Spinach sneaks in a vegetable like spinach to round out a complete meal. Your kids won’t even know it’s in there.
So did everyone (at least here in the States) have a good Memorial Day weekend? I worked half a day Saturday and spent the other half getting baked without knowing it at a park with overcast skies, but Sunday we took the boys up to the mountains and hiked Mt Laguna.
It’s always a recharge for me to see them running and jumping, casing after critters they will never catch and feeling blessed. Later that afternoon we met a friend for sushi, relaxed at the house and were basically couch potatoes half of the day yesterday closing out about 6 DVR’d shows that were season finales. Can’t wait for Game of Thrones to start. How about you?
So back to this Orecchiette with Sausage and Spinach.
Orecchiette are small, ear-like looking pasta shapes that are perfect to hold any sauce. In this dish I deglaze the browned sausage with some white wine and add freshly made pesto to create a wonderful sauce to coat each pasta piece.
This is one of those quick mid-week meals that’s perfect because it comes together in under 30 minutes and can all be made in the same pan.
I like to use fresh spinach in this one, but feel free to use mushrooms or chard. While I like the heat from hot Italian sausage, you can alter that to meet your own taste needs by using a mild sausage and omit the added chili pepper flakes.
When boiling the pasta be sure to save about a cup of the cooking water. The starches from the pasta help emulsify your sauce later.
For other pesto dishes check out my Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta, this Pesto Prosciutto Dutch Baby, or this Pull Apart Cheesy Pesto Bread with Salami. Enjoy!
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Orecchiette with Sausage and Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 lb Orecchiette pasta
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup pesto
- 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid
- 1 lb fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- parsley to garnish (optional)
- lemon slices (optional)
Instructions
- In a large stock pot bring 4 quarts of water to boil, add the salt and stir. Add pasta, stir and cook for 9-10 minutes. Scoop out about cup cooking liquid and reserve. Drain pasta (do not rinse) and set aside.
- In same large stock pot over medium high heat add the olive oil. Add the sausage meat, salt and red pepper flakes (optional) and break up any large lumps (keep it slightly chunky) and brown on all sides.
- Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits on bottom of pan. Allow to cook and reduce by half. Add the pesto and cooking liquid and stir. Continue to cook over medium heat and add the fresh spinach. Stir to coat and simmer on low for 5 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine. Serve immediately with fresh parmesan cheese and parsley and fresh lemon (optional).
Video
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I have not had orecchiette pasta in a long time. This recipe looks too delicious to pass up thanks for sharing!
Thanks Kevin. I saw it in the Italian market I frequent and said the same thing!
This combination is an absolute favorite in our house, but I’ve never made it with pesto! Absolutely must try!!
With all the flavor bang from the pesto it is so good!
I can’t wait to make this for my husband Tom! He will absolutely love it and so will I. Love the orecchiette.
Thanks so much Mary Ann. Nothing like a good comfort food dinner like pasta to put a smile on my face! 🙂
Sounds like a great weekend, Kevin! That extra day makes all the difference. I definitely have to check out Game of Thrones – so slow on the band wagon with that one, aren’t I 😉 ? This looks like such a delicious recipe for pretty much any day of the week – busy weekdays or Friday night with crusty bread and a glass of vino. Pinning! Hope you have another lovely weekend. Don’t forget to wear that SPF 😉
GOT is a fantastic series. Incredible characters and just a note – watch consistently, the storyline is HUGE and a major cast of characters. So good. My absolute favorite show. It’s like each one is a high production movie. As for sunscreen, I definitely picked one up – and aloe lotion! Cheers! Email when you finish the videos I’d love to see! 🙂
It sounds like you had a great weekend, guys! But this pasta looks and sounds even better:) Pasta, sausage, pesto, and spinach make the winning combo.
Thanks Ben, it was a great weekend and meals like this one, quick and easy, fit right in. Cheers!
Kevin, I made this tonight. It’s truly outstanding! I grow basil and other herbs in my garden and make a pretty decent pesto. I’m always looking for recipes to use it and my wife informed me during dinner tonight that your recipe moves to the front of the pack. Thanks for another great recipe!
Well I just want to say comments like this make my day Dave. Thanks so much! 🙂
That is definitely our kind of meal, just have to make a gluten free pasta, but those are flavors we love. We love pesto and spinach, and sausage is great too! With the heat, I don’t like to be in the kitchen with the stove on for long periods of time, so this is perfect.
The best part is there are so many good GF pastas out there now. Thanks Cathy!
Isn’t this a great dish? I make something very similar when I get home from work and don’r really feel like cooking. So quick and easy! Will have to add pesto next time I make it. Love pesto!
Agree John, and that pesto adds that extra kick of flavor!
Hi Kevin. Great combination of flavors you’ve got here. Perfect for those nights when lingering in the kitchen is not one’s top priority. We spent Memorial Day with friends; I took over ribs, potato salad, baked beans and brownies. We’re having a repeat dinner tonight as I made plenty of everything. Sounds like you and Dave had a very nice day
Thanks Dorothy, so glad you guys had a good holiday. Sounds like you supplied the party and then some! 🙂
Beautiful, and so satisfying. A perfect example of how easy home cooking is!
Thanks so much Mimi, I couldn’t agree more!