Creamy Baked Sausage & Spinach Orecchiette

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 1 pound of orecchiette pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound of bulk Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Brown the sausage until no pink remains, about 6-8 minutes. Drain off any excess fat and set the cooked sausage aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet, if needed. Add 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced, and cook until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in 4 cloves of minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional), and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add 4 ounces of full-fat cream cheese, cut into cubes, and stir until melted and smooth. Pour in 1 cup of heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly.

Stir in 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Add 5 ounces of fresh spinach, a handful at a time, allowing it to wilt down before adding more. Stir until all spinach is wilted.

Return the cooked sausage to the skillet with the sauce. Add the drained orecchiette pasta and toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated in the creamy sauce.

Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the pasta. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand for a few minutes before serving. Serve hot.