Fettuccine with Italian Sausage, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Spinach, Pine Nuts, and Basil

I was craving linguine with turkey Italian sausage, tomatoes, arugula, and ciliengini. I didn’t feel like going to the store, so  I made something similar using the ingredients I had in the fridge, along with my homemade fettuccine. It was quick and simple to make and tasted wonderful! We all, dinner guests AND children included, loved this dish. It was full of great flavors and textures, and the homemade fettuccine turned out perfect. Our dinner guests loved the pasta, and we all thought it paired well with a Parmesan chopped salad and some crusty bread.

Fettuccine with Italian Sausage, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Spinach, Pine Nuts, and Basil

Ingredients:

• 5 links of Johnsonville sweet basil Italian sausage, removed from casings
• 8 oz button mushrooms, quartered
• ½ yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup of grape tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
• 1½ cups of chicken broth
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 12 oz fettuccine, cooked per instructions
• 2 cups baby spinach

Serving:

• 1 cup fresh mozzarella, chopped into small cubes
• 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• A handful of fresh baby basil leaves
• Fresh Parmesan

How to Make Fettuccine with Italian Sausage, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Spinach, Pine Nuts, and Basil:

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Remove the Italian sausage from casings and form it into very small balls.

Cook the sausage for 2-3 minutes, then add the onion and mushrooms. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the mushrooms are golden and the onions are tender.

Add the minced garlic, grape tomatoes, oregano, and crushed fennel seed, then cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth. Break up a few tomatoes by piercing them with a spatula, then simmer the sauce for 7-10 minutes. Taste the sauce and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta to al dente in a large pot of well-salted water, according to the package instructions.

Drain the pasta, then pour it into the sauce along with the spinach, mozzarella cheese, pine nuts, and small basil leaves.

Toss to coat evenly, then serve immediately with fresh Parmesan on the side. Enjoy.

 

 

I loved this dish so much that I plan to enter this recipe in the Italian Sausage recipe contest hosted by Johnsonville.