Creamy Tuscan Sausage Pasta is a quick and easy 30-minute meal perfect for families of all sizes and tastes. You’ll love how quickly you can make and enjoy this Italian sausage pasta tossed with a creamy herb-seasoned tomato sauce and fresh spinach. It’s got everything you need to feed the whole family, no sides required.
Isn’t pasta just the BEST family dinner? You can pack it with veggies, delicious sauces, and protein, and your kids will still be pretty likely to eat it. It’s noodles, after all! This creamy Tuscan sausage pasta is a recent favorite for our family, and I’m positive it’s about to become one in your house, too.
The irresistibly creamy tomato sauce mixed with tender pasta, flavorful Italian sausage, and fresh spinach make it a complete meal, so you don’t have to worry about sides. With a quick 30-minute cook time, simple and easy-to-find ingredients, and an unbeatable flavor, you’ll be whipping this up on busy weekdays and lazy weekends; it’s just that good!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- 30 Minute Meal – This recipe takes 30 minutes from fridge to fork, perfect for busy families.
- Easy Ingredients – You can get all the ingredients at any grocery store year-round.
- Complete Meal – This pasta with sausage and spinach has veggies, grains, and proteins all in one dish!
- Family Friendly Flavors – Creamy tomato sauce, pasta, and Italian sausage are familiar, delicious flavors that kids and adults can both enjoy.
Recipe Notes
This creamy Tuscan sausage pasta recipe is as simple as promised! Just a 30 minutes for a family friendly meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make creamy Italian sausage pasta to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Dried Pasta – We like to use rigatoni, but ziti or penne pasta are great alternatives.
- Italian Sausage – If you can’t find ground Italian sausage, simply buy raw sausage links and remove the casing.
- Garlic – Fresh is best, but swap in 1/2 teaspoon of granulated garlic if you need to.
- Crushed Tomatoes – Either canned diced tomatoes or tomato sauce are your best substitution options.
- Italian Seasoning – Buy it premade, or make your own homemade Italian seasoning super easily!
- Salt
- Heavy Cream – The fat in heavy whipping cream is essential to creating a sauce. You can use half and half, but not regular milk, which will lead to a watery sauce.
- Fresh Spinach – Feel free to use 1/2 cup of thawed, well-drained frozen spinach instead of fresh baby spinach.
- Parmesan Cheese – This is optional, but delicious as a garnish. Other aged hard cheeses like Asiago, Romano, or Grana Padano are also great choices.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Spicy Sausage Pasta– Swap the ground Italian sausage for spicy Italian sausage and continue with the recipe as directed. Add up to 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the tomatoes as desire to increase spice.
- Sausage Mushroom Pasta– Add two cups of sliced mushrooms to the pan with the Italian sausage while it browns. Continue with the recipe as written.
- Cream Cheese Tuscan Sausage Pasta— Follow the recipe as directed, but remove the heavy cream and replace it with 4 ounces, or 1/2 cup, of softened cream cheese. Stir gently to incorporate with the tomato sauce.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Tuscan sausage pasta.
Boil your pasta while simmering the tomato sauce with the Italian sausage and seasonings.
Stir in the heavy cream.
Add fresh spinach and stir until wilted into the sauce.
Add in drained pasta and toss to coat with the sauce.
Recipe Tips
- Use a large skillet– Use a large pot or pan that’s wide and has high sides so you can stir and simmer the sauce without dealing with splashes and spills on your stovetop.
- Go for cast iron or a Dutch oven – The best way to get that delicious brown caramelization on your Italian sausage is to use a heavy-bottomed pan like a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet. Get it hot over medium high heat before adding the meat to brown it quickly.
- Let it simmer – You’ll build a better tasting sauce if you allow the Italian sausage to gently cook with the tomatoes and seasonings for a few minutes.
- Wait to add the spinach – Spinach wilts very fast, so wait to add it until the sauce is completely finished. The residual heat from the sauce will quickly wilt it with just a few stirs.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Buy pre-chopped garlic – Save yourself the few minutes it takes to peel and mince whole cloves by buying a jar of already minced garlic, often available in the produce sections. It’ll also save you time washing the knife and cutting board!
- Use jarred marinara – A jar of seasoned marinara can easily replace canned tomatoes, salt, and seasonings. Add it to the meat, let it simmer and warm, then continue with the cream and spinach.
- Make it ahead – You can easily make this entire dish up to 24 hours ahead and simply reheat it with a splash of cream or water to loosen the sauce back up.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this Italian sausage pasta recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To freeze before cooking
- Cook the pasta to al dente and drain, then set aside.
- Make the sauce, but leave out the spinach and cream.
- Freeze the cooked pasta and sauce in separate containers.
- When ready to cook, thaw both in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.
- Warm the sauce, add the cream and spinach, then toss in the thawed pasta.
What to Serve with Creamy Tuscan Sausage Pasta
Since this complete dinner has the delicious flavors of Italian sausage, tomatoes, and herbs, it will pair well with many of your favorite Italian and traditional side dishes.
It’s perfect as a stand-alone meal, or choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Italian House Salad – This light, tangy salad is the perfect match to a creamy pasta dish.
- BEST Ever Garlic Bread – This is the easiest, tastiest garlic bread you’ll ever make at home!
- Classic Cucumber Tomato Salad – Crisp, fresh veggies in a light dressing make this simple, chilled salad an easy, healthy side.
- Garlic Cheese Bread – A cheesy loaf of bread is a great side to serve alongside pasta with sausage and spinach.
Creamy Tuscan Sausage Pasta Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
Recipe FAQ’s
How is Italian sausage different from regular sausage?
The main difference between regular sausage and Italian sausage is the flavors that are added. A combination of herbs, salt, garlic, and fennel give it the iconic Italian taste.
What sausage is closest to Italian?
There are many sausages that can stand in for Italian such as regular pork sausage or Spanish chorizo. In a pinch, you can also use regular ground pork and season it with Italian seasoning, fennel, salt, and garlic to make a quick version of Italian sausage.
More EASY Pasta Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy dinner recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Cheeseburger Pasta
- Blackened Chicken Alfredo Pasta
- Easy Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- Lemon Basil Chicken Pasta
Creamy Tuscan Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 4 cloves garlic pressed
- 56 ounces crushed tomatoes, (2 cans)
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning, dried
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 4 cups fresh spinach
Instructions
- Cook pasta to al dente per package directions. Once done, drain.
- While the pasta cooks, brown the sausage in a large heavy bottomed skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Once it is no longer pink, stir in the garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and salt and mix to combine. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan, then add the spinach and mix for 2-3 minutes or until it starts to wilt.
- Pour the cooked pasta into the sauce and toss to coat. Serve warm with additional parmesan for garnish.
Recipe Notes
- Rigatoni – Penne or Ziti
- Italian Sausage – Pork sausage or Spanish chorizo.
- Crushed tomatoes – Tomato sauce or diced tomatoes.
- Heavy Cream – Half and half.
- Parmesan – Romano, Asiago, Grana Padano.
- Fresh Spinach – Thawed and drained frozen spinach.
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
To freeze before cooking
- Cook the pasta and drain, then set aside.
- Make the sauce, but leave out the spinach and cream.
- Freeze the cooked pasta and sauce in separate containers.
- When ready to cook, thaw both in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.
- Warm the sauce, add the cream and then spinach, then toss in the thawed pasta.
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