Description
A comforting sausage and spinach pasta bake made with tender fusilli, savory turkey sausage, and a rich tomato sauce, all topped with melted cheddar cheese and baked until bubbly and golden.
Ingredients
- 3 cups fusilli (uncooked)
- 1 pound turkey sausage
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic (pressed)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
- 3 cups tomato sauce
- 1 cup pasta water
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 300 g package frozen spinach (defrosted and drained)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
- Fresh basil (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook the fusilli according to package instructions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Slice the sausages lengthwise and remove the meat from the casings. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add Italian seasoning, dried basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Add the sausage meat and cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is no longer pink.
- Add tomato sauce, reserved pasta water, and balsamic vinegar to the pan. Stir well and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the drained spinach and cooked pasta to the sauce mixture and stir until evenly combined.
- In a casserole dish, layer half of the pasta mixture and sprinkle with half of the shredded cheddar cheese. Repeat with the remaining pasta and cheese.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
- For a golden top, broil at 500°F for about 5 minutes until the cheese is browned. Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
Notes
- Drain the spinach thoroughly to avoid excess moisture in the bake.
- You can substitute mozzarella or a cheese blend for the cheddar if preferred.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- This dish reheats well in the oven or microwave.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
