Creamy Italian Sausage Shells

Ingredients

• 12 oz shell pasta
• 1 lb Italian sausage (casings removed)
• 3 garlic (cloves, minced)
• 0.5 onion (small, diced)
• 24 oz marinara sauce (one jar)
• 0.5 cup heavy cream
• 2 cup spinach (fresh baby spinach)
• 0.5 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
• salt (to taste)
• black pepper (to taste)
• 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes (optional for heat)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the shell pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. 2

   In a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat, add the Italian sausage. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through.

3. 3

   Add the diced onion to the skillet with the sausage and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent.

4. 4

   Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.

5. 5

   Pour in the marinara sauce and stir to combine with the sausage and aromatics. Bring to a gentle simmer.

6. 6

   Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream until the sauce is uniform and creamy.

7. 7

   Add the fresh baby spinach to the sauce. Stir until the spinach has wilted into the mixture.

8. 8

   Season the sauce with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.

9. 9

   Add the cooked pasta shells and grated parmesan cheese to the skillet. Toss thoroughly until the pasta is well-coated in the sauce.

10. 10

    Serve immediately, garnished with extra parmesan or fresh herbs if desired.

Notes

For a lighter version, you can substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream, though the sauce will be less thick. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.

Nutrition per serving

• dinner
• pasta
• main course
• creamy
• sausage
• comfort food
• weeknight meal