This spinach mushroom sausage pasta comes together fast, tastes like something you'd order at a cozy Italian restaurant, and still stays light enough for weekday leftovers. It's creamy without cream, loaded with flavor, and uses affordable ingredients you probably already have.
TL;DR
- Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes
- Meal prep: undercook pasta to help retain shape
- Fridge storage: store 4-5 days in airtight container
- Freezer storage: store 3 months (note: undercook pasta or store pasta and sauce separately)
- Reheating: Add a splash of liquid and reheat 1 minute intervals (approx. 3 minutes)
- Customise: change sausage type to preference.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Sausages. A super affordable and versatile protein option that brings instant flavour (plus, any extras can be used in my sausage tomato pasta or curried sausages)
Creamy without cream. This stays light enough for leftovers, using milk and parmesan for a creamy finish similar to my creamy sundried tomato chicken pasta
Mushrooms. Their flavor deepens with mustard (don't skip btw), giving the dish a stroganoff-like richness
Ingredients and substitutions
Sausages. Any sausages work here - pork, chicken or beef - because the flavour is built into the protein itself, cutting down on seasoning needs.
Pasta. A hearty shape like penne, rigatoni or spirals holds the lighter sauce well and prevents mushiness during meal prep.
Milk and parmesan. These two create a creamy sauce without using heavy cream.
For dairy-free options, swap milk for oat or soy.
Dijon mustard. This lifts the flavour of the mushrooms and ensures the sauce doesn't taste flat or one-dimensional.
Mushrooms. I use button mushrooms as they're most affordable and accessible, but you can swap them out depending on what's available near you.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity.
How to make creamy sausage pasta
Step 1: Boil salted water in a large pot and cook pasta (if having this immediately) according to packet instructions minus 2 minutes or (if having for meal prep) half the time. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Step 2: Heat oil on pan over medium-high heat and cook sausages until outside is browned (approx. 7 minutes). Remove and slice into bite-sized pieces.
Step 3: Add brown onion to the pan until softened and fragrant (approx. 2 minutes) then add garlic and mushrooms until golden (approx. 5 minutes).
Step 4: Add milk, parmesan, cornstarch, dijon mustard, ¼ cup pasta water and mix to combine.
Step 5: Once boiling (approx. 5 minutes) add sausages and pasta. Stir to combine. Then add spinach and stir until wilted.
Step 6:Taste and adjust to taste with pepper and additional parmesan.
My Top Tips
Brown the sausages well. This adds depth and prevents the meat from tasting boiled.
Don't skip the mustard. It ties the mushroom and sausage flavours together and prevents a flat-tasting sauce.
Meal prepping mushroom sausage pasta
This mushroom sausage pasta with spinach has protein from the sausages, carbs from the pasta and veggies with the mushrooms and spinach. It's a balanced meal with lots of flavor so it's perfect for your work week lunch.
Storing
Store the finished pasta in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
Because the sauce is made without cream, it stays light and doesn't separate as easily.
Reheating
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with 1-2 tablespoons of water or milk.
This pasta stays creamy, but reheating with a little extra liquid ensures it returns to its silky texture. You can also add a spoonful of yoghurt for extra creaminess.
Freezing
You can freeze this pasta, but texture depends on how you cook the pasta. For best results:
- Cook pasta halfway before freezing (especially for long-term freezing).
- Freeze sauce + sausage separately from pasta if you want the perfect texture.
- If freezing the entire dish together, undercook the pasta and expect a slightly softer texture after thawing.
Once thawed and reheated, add a splash of milk to revive the creaminess.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Yes - this pasta is ideal for meal prep because the no-cream sauce stays smooth for several days and reheats well.
Add a splash of milk or water before reheating. The starch will re-activate and make the sauce creamy again.
Yes, just thaw and squeeze it well so excess water doesn't dilute the sauce.
Other beef recipes you'll like
Or, you can have a browse through my beef recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Spinach Mushroom Sausage Pasta without Cream
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 800 g (1 ¾ lb) sausages, approximately 10 thin, See note 1
- 400 g (14 oz) pasta, see note 2
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic
- 250 g (9 oz) mushrooms, sliced
- 200 g (7 oz) spinach
- 500 ml (2 cups) milk, see note 3
- 40 g (½ cup) parmesan, grated, see note 4
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- pepper, to taste
Instructions
Prepare
- Dice 1 brown onion, 4 cloves garlicSlice 250 g (9 oz) mushroomsGrate 40 g (½ cup) parmesan
Cook
- Boil salted water in a large pot and cook 400 g (14 oz) pasta: (if having this immediately) according to packet instructions minus 2 minutes or (if having for meal prep) half the time. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Heat oil on pan over medium-high heat and cook 800 g sausages until outside is browned (approx. 7 minutes). Remove and slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Add brown onion to the pan until softened and fragrant (approx. 2 minutes) then add garlic and mushrooms until golden (approx. 5 minutes).
- Add 500 ml (2 cups) milk, 40 g (½ cup) parmesan, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 tbsp dijon mustard, ¼ cup pasta water and mix to combine.
- Once boiling (approx. 5 minutes) add sliced sausages and pasta. Stir to combine. Then add 200 g (7 oz) spinach and stir until wilted.
- Taste and adjust to taste with pepper and additional parmesan.
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