One-Pot Orecchiette with Sausage, Peppers, and Greens
All it takes is one pot, Italian sausage, roasted red peppers, and whatever tender greens you have handy to create a delicious pasta dinner with a simple white wine sauce.
Serves4 to 6
Prep5 minutes
Cook25 minutes
We typically have one pasta night a week in my house, and right now my family can’t get enough of this loaded one-pot pasta. This version, mixed with Italian sausage, roasted red peppers, and whatever tender greens you have handy, is blanketed with a simple white wine sauce that thickens with a splash of starchy pasta water and a pat of butter. While any pasta will work, I especially love ear-shaped orecchiette because of the way it catches bits of the meat and vegetables. And to keep dinner from feeling super carb-heavy, I like to use a less than a full box of pasta, and bulk up the rest of the pot with protein and vegetables.
One-Pot Orecchiette with Sausage, Peppers, and Greens
All it takes is one pot, Italian sausage, roasted red peppers, and whatever tender greens you have handy to create a delicious pasta dinner with a simple white wine sauce.
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Serves4 to 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 12 ounces
uncooked sweet or hot Italian sausage
- 1 (12-ounce) jar
sliced roasted red peppers
- 1/2 cup
finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 12 ounces
dry orecchiette pasta
- 1 tablespoon
olive oil
- 1/3 cup
dry white wine
- 5 ounces
baby spinach or other tender greens
Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon
unsalted butter
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, remove the casings from 12 ounces Italian sausage. Drain 1 (12-ounce) jar sliced roasted red peppers. Finely grate until you have 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving.
Salt the water generously and stir in 12 ounces orecchiette pasta. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. Remove about 1 cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain and set aside in the colander.
Place the pot back over medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot. When the oil is shimmering, add the sausage and begin gently breaking up the links with a wooden spoon, but allow the sausage to begin to brown before aggressively stirring. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Add 1/3 cup dry white wine and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Stir in the red pepper strips. Add 5 ounces baby spinach or other tender greens and sprinkle lightly with salt and several grinds of pepper. Stir until the spinach is about halfway wilted.
Add the pasta to the pot, along with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and the Parmesan. Toss until well-combined and both the butter and cheese have melted into the barest slick of sauce, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water as needed to help it along. Serve straight from the pot with more grated Parmesan, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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