Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Italian Sausage Pasta
Creamy orzo with sausage makes a generous bowl for a quiet dinner at home. The sun-dried tomatoes give it a savory little lift, and spinach folds into the warm pasta at the end.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 13 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Dinner · Main course
- Cuisine
- Italian
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
- Dish type
- Pasta
A few quick notes
1. Remove the casings
Take the sausage meat out of its casings before adding it to the Dutch oven or deep skillet.
2. Break up the meat
Use a wooden spoon to break the sausage apart while browning, then soften the onion in the same pan.
3. Keep a gentle simmer
Cook uncovered once the broth and cream bubble, stirring occasionally and keeping the simmer gentle during the orzo cooking stage.
Get to know the ingredients
Dry orzo
Stir the orzo into the sausage with garlic and pepper flakes before adding the broth and cream to cook it.
Sun-dried tomatoes
Roughly chop the sun-dried tomatoes before cooking. They go in off the heat with Parmesan and fresh spinach.
Baby spinach
Use fresh baby spinach for the final stir. It joins the warm pasta after the pot leaves the heat.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 6 steps completeMake room for Italian Sausage Pasta
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Cheese and parsley
Season the finished pasta to taste and garnish with the extra Parmesan and chopped parsley named in the serving step.
A little more help as you go
Prepare components ahead
You can brown the meat and chop the onion and tomatoes a day ahead, then refrigerate them until cooking.
Loosen leftovers gently
Reheat on low or in the microwave with two tablespoons of broth or milk per serving to loosen the thickened sauce.
A few questions you might have
Can I freeze this pasta?
Freezing isn't recommended because the creamy sauce can separate and become grainy after thawing.
How long can I refrigerate leftovers?
Use an airtight container and refrigerate for up to four days. The orzo continues absorbing liquid as it sits.
What if the sausage is very lean?
You can use a spoonful of seasoned oil from the tomato jar for sautéing the onion and garlic if needed.
Does the Parmesan simmer with the orzo?
Take the pot off the heat before stirring in Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Season and garnish afterward.
Can I cook the whole dish ahead?
Prepare the components ahead instead. Cooked orzo quickly absorbs the broth, making the finished dish thicker.
Any more cooking tips?
Storage, Reheating, and Make Ahead I don’t like saving creamy dishes for later, buuut I know sometimes you need to. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Because the orzo pasta continues soaking up liquid as it sits, the sauce will thicken overnight. To Reheat: Warm sausage orzo in a large skillet over low heat or in the microwave, adding 2 tablespoons of chicken broth or milk per serving to loosen the cream sauce. Freezer Advice: Freezing creamy pasta is not recommended. Dairy sauces separate and turn grainy when thawed. Make Ahead: Since cooked orzo sausage absorbs broth quickly, do not cook the full dish in advance. Instead, brown the meat, chop the onion and sun-dried tomatoes, and store them in the fridge a day ahead so you can cook the pasta fresh in 10 minutes. Use a spoonful of the seasoned oil from the sun-dried tomato jar to sauté your onions and garlic if your sausage is very lean. It prevents sticking and adds extra flavor to the pan.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: cafedelites.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
