The cheese in this dish is the key to the balance of flavors. For the biggest impact, make sure to use imported Italian cheese.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces whole-wheat short pasta, such as shells or twists
- 8 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage links, removed from casings
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 8 cups arugula, or baby spinach
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano, or Parmesan cheese, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, 9 to 11 minutes, or according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, arugula (or spinach) and tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the greens wilt and the tomatoes begin to break down, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and keep warm.
- Combine ½ cup cheese, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Measure out ½ cup of the cooking liquid; drain the pasta. Whisk the cooking liquid and oil into the cheese mixture; add the pasta and toss to combine. Serve the pasta topped with the sausage mixture and an extra sprinkle of cheese, if desired.
Nutrition information
Serving size: generous 1½ cups
Per serving: 321 calories; 8 g fat(2 g sat); 6 g fiber; 46 g carbohydrates; 19 g protein; 54 mcg folate; 33 mg cholesterol; 3 g sugars; 0 g added sugars; 1,404 IU vitamin A; 14 mg vitamin C; 184 mg calcium; 3 mg iron; 452 mg sodium; 442 mg potassium
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (28% daily value), Vitamin C (23% dv)
Carbohydrate Servings: 3
Exchanges: 2.5 starch, 2 vegetable, 2 medium-fat meat