Creamy Spinach & Sausage Pasta

Total Recipe cost: $5.91

Servings Per Recipe: 4 (about 1.5 cups each)

Cost per serving: $1.48

Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 25 min. Total: 30 min.

INGREDIENTS COST 6 oz. smoked sausage $1.50 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.16 1 medium onion $0.32 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes w/chiles $0.99 2 cups chicken broth $0.30 8 oz. pasta $0.50 3 cups fresh spinach $0.87 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded monterrey jack $1.17 1 whole green onion $0.10 TOTAL $5.91

Step By Step Photos

I saw this recipe over at Kevin & Amanda the other day and immediately knew that I wanted to make it. Of course, I made some changes to fit the ingredients I had on hand and my personal preferences. The bones of the recipe, though, are perfect. It's a one skillet meal, it cooks in about 30 minutes, and it's got everything I want (pasta, meat, vegetables, and cheese). That's a winner in my book.I nixed the heavy cream in the original recipe because I figured that between the cheese and sausage, there'd be plenty of fat/creaminess going on, and I was right. The end result was rich, but not so much so that you'll get a belly ache. I also added fresh spinach because I have a HUGE bag in my fridge just waiting to be used up. Plus, I felt that the recipe needed a little green.Some other vegetable options for this recipe are bell peppers or broccoli. Both go great with smoked sausage. If you want to add bell peppers, cut them into thin strips and saute them with the onions in the beginning. If you want to add broccoli, cut it into very small florets and add it with the pasta so that it can simmer a little bit and soften. There are so many different ways you can take this recipe... I'm excited to hear what you come up with!Thinly slice the smoked sausage and add it to a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Saute the sausage over medium heat until it is nicely browned (about 5-7 minutes). Drain off the excess fat.Dice the onion and add it to the skillet. Continue to saute until the onion has softened (about 5 minutes). Add the can of diced tomatoes with chiles and the chicken broth. Stir to combine and dissolve any browned bits off of the bottom of the skillet.Add the uncooked pasta to the skillet and make sure it is all submerged under the liquid. Place a lid on the skillet and allow the mixture to come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for about ten minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir once or twice while the pasta cooks to keep it from sticking.Stir in the fresh spinach, one cup at a time, until wilted. If you add it all at once, the skillet will be too full to stir. Keep the heat on while adding the spinach, so the liquid will continue to simmer and thicken.Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top, replace the lid, and let it sit for a few minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Slice the green onions and sprinkle them over top. Serve hot!

Labels: easy, main dish, one-dish meals, pasta, quick, sausage