A spicy as hell delight that the Foo Fighters would love (and you will, too!)
Sausage cavatappi is not originally my recipe. Most recipes don’t start out as something that came from my brain. It’s usually that I find a recipe I like and then I put my cheesy spin on it and make it my own.
Sausage cavatappi landed literally at my doorstep by way of a meal delivery kit. I’m pretty sure it was Home Chef, but who can remember such things? The thing we CAN remember is that it was by far one of our favorites from those meals. I even made it for my parents when they were visiting once and now my dad requests that my mom make it like once a week.
As usual, I put my own spin on it. I made it hotter and heartier by adding HOT Italian sausage, Arrabiata sauce, a bell pepper, and spinach.
Sausage cavatappi is a hearty, satisfying and super easy to throw together weeknight dinner that the whole family will love! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Hotsy Totsy Sausage Cavatappi
Ingredients:
1lb ground hot Italian sausage
½ onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
5oz baby spinach
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning to taste
24oz Jar of Arrabiata sauce (we love Rao’s!)
1lb Cavatappi, cooked according to box instructions.
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
¼ cup shredded mozzarella, parmesan or provolone, optional
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Add one piece of onion – when you hear it sizzle, it’s time to add the peppers and onions. Start the water for pasta.
- When the peppers start to soften and the onions are beginning to brown, add the sausage, garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Using a wooden spoon or spatula break up the sausage and continue to stir until it is cooked through and browned.
- Create space in the center of the ingredients and add the butter. When butter is melted, add baby spinach and stir with the rest of the ingredients.
- Water should be boiling by now, so add the pasta!
- Once the spinach is sauteed and stirred into the sausage mixture, bring heat to low and stir in sauce. Cover and stir occasionally until pasta is done.
- Remove skillet from heat. Drain pasta and stir into sausage mixture.
- Sprinkle a little shredded mozzarella, parmesan or provolone to be fancy!
This dish is amazing by itself, but can be a side dish, as well. No matter how you serve it, it’s always a hit!
Something sweet always goes good after a red sauce: Try my chip chip cookies for dessert!
Not a fan of spicy food? No problem! Just use mild Italian sausage and regular marinara sauce.
I bet the Foo Fighters would like Sausage Cavatappi
As I write this, I’m sitting on the couch with my husband watching the Tribute to Taylor Hawkins concert, trying not to cry. We had tickets to see the Foo Fighters just a couple of months after Taylor died and it still hurts that we never got to see them live with him at the drums.
I can’t say this tribute concert was great. A lot of older musicians who can’t really sing anymore, but DAMN can Dave Grohl’s daughter Violet sing! I can’t wait to see what comes of her in the future. She was absolutely ROCKING that Amy Winehouse song! That kid is going to be a star for sure.
Ok we’ve gotten further into the Taylor Hawkins Tribute and I totally take my first thought back. I’m highly enjoying this concert!
Anyway, hope you liked this recipe! I like to play around with what I throw into it, this was the first time I used spinach and it was such a hit I decided it was the recipe to share!
