Creamy Elbow Macaroni with Sausage and Tomatoes

Stupid simple dinner alert! (did that wake you up?)

Um, the only sauce here is milk. And lactose free, at that! (you know who I live with, right?)

This is one of those weeknight dinners that’s so easy and so comforting and has all the variables to make you sob. Pasta. Sausage. End-of-summer tomatoes. A cream sauce. Spinach. (<–basically a salad, you guys.)

We’re obsessed and we don’t care who knows it! (said like Buddy)

I used links this time, but ground is great. About 5 links, casings off, sort of torn apart.

Browned in a pan. Chopped tomatoes simmered all in it. Already it’s incredible and we haven’t even added carbs.

Heeeeeello. The elbow mac gets a head start in some boiling water, then transferred into 3 cups of milk where it gorgeous absorbs the sauce for a little bit. Spinach is wilted. Parmesan is violently thrown in.

It’s all too much.

You’ll salt to taste. Maybe even lemon juice right at the end to wake it up.

More parmesan. The comfort level is unhinged on these chilly nights. You’re going to freak out.

Bump this up to tonight!

Okay guys, my recipe plugin is not working right now, so here it is, old-fashioned style! 🙂 (just screen grab to print.)

1 pound elbow macaroni

1 pound mild (or medium) Italian sausage (about five links, casings removed)

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

3 cups milk

5 oz baby spinach

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

Coarse salt

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook for five minutes. 

In the meantime, bring a wide skillet to a medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned all over and no longer pink. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook a couple of minutes. Add the three cups of milk and bring to a light simmer. Transfer the pasta over to the skillet and let it finish cooking, absorbing the milk. Off the heat, add the spinach and parmesan. Stir to keep absorbing the sauce. Add salt to taste at this point. 

Garnish with more parmesan and serve immediately! 

Serves 4-6. 

See you never.