CREAMY ONE-POT SPAGHETTI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

[Jherrith]

CREAMY ONE-POT SPAGHETTI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp of cooking oil (like olive oil or butter)
1 medium onion, diced
1 sweet bell pepper (red, orange, or yellow), diced
4 large cloves of garlic, minced (about 2 tbsp)
1 pound of ground Italian sausage (hot or mild)
1 tbsp of dried fennel seed (optional)
2 tsp of dried Italian seasoning OR oregano
1/2 tsp of black pepper
1/2 tsp of sea salt
1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes
1 (15 ounces) can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
3 c. of low-sodium broth (beef, chicken, or vegetable)
8 oz. of dried spaghetti, broken in half
3/4 c. of full-fat canned coconut milk OR heavy cream
1 tbsp of lemon juice OR vinegar (like white wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar)
1/2 c. of grated or shredded cheese (like Parmesan, mozzarella, or an Italian blend - optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat on medium-high heat a medium-sized Dutch oven, stockpot, or saute pan (with tall, straight sides). Add the cooking oil and heat for a minute. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and bell pepper to the pot and saute for about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Adjust the heat to medium, then stir in the garlic and continue to cook for a minute more. Add the ground sausage and cook further, breaking the meat up using a spatula as it cooks. This takes another 3 to 5 minutes.
To the pot, add the dried spices along with the diced tomatoes, broth, and spaghetti broken in half. Mix the ingredients, then push the spaghetti down to submerge it in the broth. You can add more broth or 1/4 cup of water at a time if needed until the spaghetti is covered just barely by the liquid.
Put the lid on and allow the mixture to simmer for approximately 2 to 3 minutes. To ensure the pasta is not sticking to the bottom, stir, then put the lid back on. Adjust the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for additional 10 minutes.
Remove the lid, then pour in the canned coconut milk (or heavy whipping cream) Stir and cover the pot again. Cook for 5 minutes more or until the noodles are cooked to your desired doneness.
Take the pot away from the heat. Remove the lid, then add in the lemon juice (or vinegar) plus grated cheese. Stir. If needed, add more salt or lemon juice according to your taste. Allow the spaghetti to sit for 5 minutes or so to thicken up the sauce. When ready, ladle into bowls and garnish with extra cheese, cracked black pepper, and olive oil if desired. Enjoy!