Sausage & Mushroom Penne: Italian Comfort with Tomato Sauce

This filling penne with sausage and mushrooms is a classic Italian comfort dish and a simple twist on basic tomato sauce. The mildly spicy sausage gives a nice kick to the sweet tomato sauce, while the mushrooms bring in some texture and a rich, earthy taste.

Spinach and Mushrooms PennePhoto byThyme of Season

Ingredient you will need:

• Kosher salt
• 12 ounces penne pasta
• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 pound sweet or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 8-ounce package sliced white or crimini mushrooms
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup of tomato sauce (homemade or store bought)
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Shredded Parmesan and/or mozzarella cheese, for topping

How to Make Sausage and Mushoom Penne:

Start by boiling a pot of salted water. Add in the penne and cook it according to the package instructions. Make sure to save 1/2 cup of the cooking water before draining the pasta.

While the penne is cooking, heat up 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a big nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add in the sausage and cook it, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until it’s nice and browned, which should take about 5 minutes. Once done, move it to a bowl.

Next, add the other 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Add in the mushrooms, season them with salt and pepper, and cook until they’re lightly browned, around 3 to 4 minutes.

Mix in the tomato sauce and spinach, cooking and stirring for about a minute. Bring the sausage back into the skillet, then pour in the cream and 1 cup of pasta water; let it simmer gently until it thickens a bit, which should take about 8 to 10 minutes.

Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper.

Finally, add the penne to the skillet and toss it with the sauce, using some of that reserved cooking water to loosen it up if necessary. If you like, sprinkle some shredded Parmesan and mozzarella cheese on top!