Rich and hearty yet healthy! This pasta dish comes together so fast but it tastes like you have been slaving away in the kitchen all day. This is one of my husband’s favorite dishes. This recipe has fat free cream cheese in it, so I just spoon his portion out before I stir it in because he can’t eat dairy, so you could have it either way!
I also use turkey italian sausage to lighten things up a little more. Sometimes you can find it just ground up in a square, but sometimes I can only find it in the links, which is fine, you just cut the casing off and fry it up like normal sausage.
While your sausage is cooking, boil your whole wheat pasta according to package directions. When your sausage is all browned and cooked through, pour in your can of crush tomatoes along with all the other seasonings.
Now I have used dried basil in the past, and if that’s all you have, it would be fine. But I promise you that if you plan ahead and get fresh basil, you will love it that much more. Fresh herbs can really make all the difference in the world. So stir that all together and let it simmer on low for about 10 minutes to let all the flavors get familiar with each other. Add drained pasta into your sauce and stir it all together.
If you are eating it dairy free then you have two options. You can just be done and eat it like this, which is what my husband does, or if you happen to have some coconut cream, you can substitute that straight across for the cream cheese. Your nutritional info will be just a little different. No biggie.
If you are using the cream cheese, you will turn the heat off but leave the pan on the stove. Stir in the cream cheese until its completely melted in. There you go! I told you it was quick and easy. 🙂
- 12 oz dry whole wheat penne pasta
- 1.25 lbs turkey italian sausage
- 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
- 3 tsp minced garlic
- 3-4 T fresh chopped basil
- 1 t oregano
- 1 t salt
- pepper
- 2 oz fat free cream cheese
- Cook pasta according to package directions
- While pasta is cooking, brown turkey sausage until it's cooked through. If they are in links, cut the casing off first.
- Add can of crushed tomatoes along with all the seasonings and stir until all combined. Let simmer on low for about 10 minutes. Add drained pasta into sauce and stir to cover everything.
- Turn heat off and stir in cream cheese if you are using it.
- Non dairy options are coconut cream, or no cream at all.
- Macros: Calories 369; Fat 10; Carbs 49; Protein 28
- Serves 6. Serving size is about 12 oz.
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