Description

Craving an easy dinner idea that’s rich, creamy, and loaded with bold flavors? This Creamy Garlic Butter Beef Penne with Sausage and Spinach is the ultimate comfort food — combining juicy ground beef, spicy Italian sausage, and a luscious garlic butter cream sauce with gooey cheese and tender spinach. It’s perfect for those looking for a hearty and delicious weeknight dinner recipe that reheats like a dream. Whether you’re after cozy dinner ideas, quick pasta meals, or just a satisfying food idea to feed the family — this one-skillet meal checks every box.

Ingredients

12 oz penne pasta

0.5 lb ground beef

0.5 lb Italian sausage

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 cloves garlic minced

1 small yellow onion finely chopped

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika

0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

2 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped

1 cup heavy cream

0.75 cup beef broth

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

0.5 cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt and black pepper to taste

Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne just shy of al dente, then drain and set aside, reserving ½ cup pasta water.

2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and sausage, browning for 6–8 minutes. Remove and set aside.

3. In the same skillet, add butter and sauté the onion until soft. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.

4. Sprinkle in Italian seasoning, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.

5. Add beef broth, scraping browned bits from the pan. Pour in heavy cream and simmer for 3–4 minutes to thicken.

6. Stir in parmesan and half of the mozzarella. Mix until smooth.

7. Add spinach and stir until wilted.

8. Return cooked pasta and meat to the skillet. Stir to coat. Use pasta water to loosen if needed.

9. Top with remaining mozzarella and broil 2–3 minutes until golden and bubbly.

10. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

For best texture, use freshly grated cheese — it melts more smoothly.

Save pasta water — it helps adjust the sauce’s consistency perfectly.

Don’t skip broiling — it gives the cheese a bubbly, golden crust that elevates the dish.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop + Broil
Cuisine: Italian-American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
Calories: 610
Sugar: 4
Sodium: 720
Fat: 38
Saturated Fat: 19
Unsaturated Fat: 16
Trans Fat: 0.5
Carbohydrates: 44
Fiber: 3
Protein: 28
Cholesterol: 110

Keywords: creamy pasta, garlic butter penne, sausage pasta, easy dinner, quick pasta recipe