Creamy Spinach and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta (Dairy Free)
Spinach and sun dried tomato pasta with chicken sausage is a great meal for busy weeknights the whole family will love. This easy pasta recipe is dairy free and can easily made gluten free or vegetarian/vegan.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces uncooked rigatoni or penne pasta
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons dairy free butter
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup full fat canned coconut milk
- 1 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes 8 ounce jar
- 1-2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach leaves
- juice from half of 1 small lemon about 1 tablespoon
- 4 chicken Italian sausages or cooked chicken
- torn fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water then drain.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil. Once hot, add the garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, a good pinch of kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the tomato paste. Cook for a few minutes or until the tomato paste has deepened in color. Add the butter and mix until melted.
- Add the broth and coconut milk. Whisk until incorporated. Simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Stir in the sun dried tomatoes, baby spinach, and juice of 1/2 lemon. Season to taste with more kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the cooked pasta and toss in the sauce, adding a few tablespoons of cooked pasta water, as needed, to thin the sauce.
- Mix in your cooked Italian sausage or cooked chicken and garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy!
Notes
See the blog post for helpful tips and storage.