This recipe is quick, usually coming together in under 30 minutes, and is easily customizable.
📝 Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta (Penne, rotini, farfalle, or fusilli work well to hold the sauce)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound pre-cooked chicken sausage (Italian-style works great), sliced into rounds
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil, drained, and sliced)
- 1/2 cup chopped onion or a few sliced spring onions (optional)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced (optional, but highly recommended)
- 1 cup green pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/2 cup pasta water, reserved from boiling
- 1-2 cups fresh greens (baby spinach or arugula)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice for brightness
👩🍳 Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the rest of the pasta.
- Sauté the Sausage: While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced chicken sausage and cook for about 3-5 minutes, turning occasionally until it’s nicely browned and heated through.
- Add Aromatics (Optional): If using onion, add it to the skillet and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for just 1 minute more until fragrant (do not let the garlic burn).
- Create the Sauce: Reduce the heat to low. Add the pesto and about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Stir until the pesto is warmed through and the pasta water helps loosen it into a sauce.
- Combine and Finish: Add the drained pasta, the fresh greens (spinach/arugula), and the grated Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Toss everything together until the pasta is fully coated and the greens have wilted slightly. Add more reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve: Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice if you like. Serve immediately with extra grated Parmesan cheese on top.
⭐ Pro Tip for a Creamier Dish
For an extra-hearty and creamy texture, you can try one of these additions in step 4:
- Soft Cheese: Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of light soft cheese (like Boursin or cream cheese) along with the pesto and pasta water until melted.
- Heavy Cream: Add 1/4 cup of heavy cream to the sauce and simmer for a minute before adding the pasta.
