Making a one-pot pasta dinner has been on my cooking to-do list for awhile so when I received a package of hardwood smoked turkey sausage from Jennie-O for back-to-school weeknight dinners, I felt it would be perfect for incorporating into that. As y’all likely know, I haven’t been in school of any sort for a few years and I don’t have little ones, either. For me, this spicy one-pot sausage & spinach pasta is more of an after-work dinner since I don’t like a lot of fuss when cooking on weeknights. It’s also a good option for an easy workweek lunch meal prep. I whipped up 30-second a video of this pasta in the making that you can watch below or via my Instagram feed. It shows just how easy this is!
This is great dish to add to your arsenal because it’s so quick. Everything comes together in just about 30 minutes and, of course, with only one pan to clean afterward. Did I mention I don’t like a lot of fuss on weeknights? You literally throw the ingredients into your pot, heat things up, and stir a few times. That. Is. It!
In addition to ease and quickness, the flavor is fantastic, y’all! Fresh basil and a little parmesan play well with the smoky flavor of the turkey sausage. And the crushed red pepper really pops. A lip-tingling level of heat is my preference but if you like a little less (or more) you can play with the crushed red pepper measurement when you make it. You can also customize this meal to your liking with different veggies and aromatics like onions and bell peppers.
This recipe marks me getting back into the swing of things on the blog since hurricane Harvey hit my hometown of Houston, Texas last weekend. There is still a long way to go for those impacted to get back to normalcy, though. Please check out this post for ways to help with that. Thanks for reading!
In collaboration with Jennie-O. As always, all opinions are my own.
- 1 pound fetuccini pasta or pasta of your choice
- 4 1/2 cups water
- 1 package Jennie-O hardwood smoked turkey sausage sliced thinly
- 6 fresh basil leaves
- 2 handfuls fresh spinach leaves
- cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoon crushed chili pepper
- 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- olive oil
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Add all ingredients except parmesan cheese to a large pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, uncovered.
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Reduce heat then cook until water dissipates and pasta is tender, stirring periodically.
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Turn off heat and stir in parmesan cheese before serving.
Recipe Video
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This sounds delicious!!! What a perfect meal for fall! Thanks for sharing.
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That looks so good and easy to prepare. A wonderful idea. Thanks!
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YUM! Sounds like a great dinner. I love Jennie-O turkey sausage too!
This looks so great, healthy and easy to make!
This looks so delish! And you totally had me at ‘one pot’. Cheers for less dish washing!
I made this last night for a group. Love the concept, but the final delivery was gummy. The pasta starch stays when the water dissipates. To keep close to the “one pot” concept, I’d do everything in one pot but the pasta and the cheese. After cooking those, I’d place them in a large serving dish. I’d then cook the pasta as normal, in a large amount of water and drain. The pasta and the cheese would then be added to and tossed with the mix in the large serving dish. Above needs tweaks, but it gets you away from gummy pasta.
Thanks for the feedback, Charles! I didn’t have a gummy final product but am sorry this did not work out for you. Did you cook uncovered using the same water measurement indicated? Those are key to a successful dish. Additionally, depending on the brand/quality of pasta used, it may be necessary to rinse it beforehand. I did not have to do this but thought that might be helpful.
Jazzmine – Thanks for the thoughts. Yes, the recipe amounts were followed and the pot was uncovered. The brand of pasta was De Cecco, Fetttuccine No 6. I’ll try it again and rinse.