Italian Sausage, Spinach, and Artichoke Pasta Bake
Servings: 8
Calories: 460kcal
Equipment
- 13 x 9 casserole
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb Italian Sausage Sweet or Spicy, removed from casings and crumbled into ~ ½ to 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup diced sweet onion
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 3 cups chopped crimini mushrooms
- 1 14 oz. can quartered canned artichokes drained
- 6 oz. fresh baby spinach
- ½ tsp. dried basil
- 1 lb. orrechetti pasta they look like hats!
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup flour
- ½ cup white wine
- 1-1/2 cups chicken broth if using canned use reduced sodium
- 8 oz. grated Fontinella cheese
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 13 x 9 casserole dish and set aside.
- In a large sauté pan, cook sausage over medium heat until browned and cooked through. Remove from pan.1/2 lb Italian Sausage
- Add onions to the pan and cook ~ 3 minutes. Add garlic after about a minute.½ cup diced sweet onion, 1 tsp. minced garlic
- Add mushrooms to the pan and continue cooking until mushrooms and onions are softened.3 cups chopped crimini mushrooms
- Add artichokes and spinach and cook until spinach is cooked down. Add sausage back to pan and stir in basil.1 14 oz. can quartered canned artichokes, 6 oz. fresh baby spinach, ½ tsp. dried basil
- Now to make the roux: In a medium sauté pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add olive oil and gradually whisk in flour. Continue whisking for 3 minutes over medium-low heat. (Mixture should be just slightly boiling)3 Tbsp. butter, 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup flour
- Gradually whisk in white wine, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Very gradually whisk in chicken broth and continue whisking until thin and smooth.½ cup white wine, 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
- Cook over medium heat until thickened and then stir in cheese and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg.8 oz. grated Fontinella cheese, ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
- Meanwhile, boil pasta for 10 minutes. Drain and place in a large casserole dish. Cover the pasta with ½ of the cheese sauce and stir to cover. Mix in sausage and spinach mixture and combine well. Add the remaining cheese sauce and toss well.1 lb. orrechetti pasta
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes or until bubbling.
Notes
Tips:
- To save time you can use 2 cups of a jarred Alfredo sauce instead of making your own cheese sauce.
- Want meatless? Skip the sausage and add cannellini beans or peas to the mix instead!
Nutrition
Calories: 460kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.5g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 700mg | Potassium: 345mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Calcium: 260mg | Iron: 2mg