Creamy Sausage Bucatini with Fennel and Spinach

Creamy, rich and a bit unexpected! A wonderful weeknight meal option for the whole family! Easy to change up the protein, too, if sausage isn’t your thing. Enjoy!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb chicken sausage links, cut into 1/4” slices

1 shallot, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 fennel bulb (white parts only, roughly chopped), reserve fronds for garnish

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 can coconut milk

1 tsp paprika

1 lb bucatini or favorite pasta

4 Tbsp cream cheese

1-2 Tbsp harissa

2 cups fresh spinach

Directions:

Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Heavily salt the water.

While waiting for water to boil, prep sauce. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and sausage. Cook 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, remove sausage from pan and set aside.

Turn heat down to medium. Carefully add shallot, garlic and fennel to pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly translucent.

Add coconut milk and paprika. Whisk to combine. Bring to boil and turn down to low. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Add pasta to boiling water. Cook 9-10 minutes or until al dente.

Add cream cheese and harissa to sauce. Whisk well. Cover.

Using tongs, transfer cooked pasta to sauce. Add sausage and spinach. Use tongs to combine.

Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, if needed, to get desired sauce consistency.

Garnish with drizzle of olive oil and fennel fronds.

Note, you can easily sub out any protein here if you prefer chicken, shrimp, etc.