The real question about Trillion Dollar Sausage Pasta isn’t whether it tastes like a trillion dollars (it does, and your tastebuds will be saying cha-ching for a long time afterward). The question is who is the real star of the show here: the sausage or the pasta? On the one hand, it’s hard to argue with classic Italian sausage, pan-fried to perfection and filled with meaty goodness. On the other hand, the pasta is coated with a deeply savory and creamy sauce, with notes of rich tomatoes and fragrant garlic as well as a sprinkling of parmesan. We’ll just say that the two come together to make a profitable partnership. Nothing shares in the wealth of flavors like Trillion Dollar Sausage Pasta!
Ingredients
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 pound Italian sausage, hot or sweet
- 6 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 (7-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 pound rigatoni
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups spinach
- fresh parsley, optional, to garnish
- red pepper flakes, optional, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –Combine the chicken broth, the mustard powder, the onion powder, and the Italian seasoning in a bowl.
Step 2 –Cut the sausage into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
Step 3 –Heat the water over medium heat in a large, high-walled skillet.
Step 4 –Add the sausage to the skillet, then cover and cook, stirring halfway through, until softened, about 10 minutes.
Step 5 –Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium high. Cook the sausage until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 6 –Carefully drain the excess grease from the pan but leave the brown bits at the bottom.
Step 7 –Add the white wine, the tomato paste, and the garlic to the pan and cook over medium heat, using a rubber spatula to scrape the browned bits up from the bottom of the pan, until it reduces by half, about 4 minutes.
Step 8 –Add the chicken broth mixture and the heavy cream and stir to combine.
Step 9 –Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Step 10 –Add the roasted red pepper and the softened cream cheese to the sauce mixture.
Step 11 –Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions, letting the sauce bubble as you do so.
Step 12 –Drain the pasta.
Step 13 –Sprinkle the parmesan cheese into the sauce mixture, stirring to incorporate.
Step 14 –Add the spinach and the sausage to the sauce mixture, stirring to combine.
Step 15 –Add the cooked pasta to the sauce mixture, stirring to coat.
Step 16 –Garnish the pasta with the parsley and the red pepper flakes.
Step 17 –Serve.
