Italian Sausage & Peppers Rigatoni with Spinach

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 200 g rigatoni pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 11-12 minutes. Reserve 120 ml pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, remove 300 g Italian sausage from casings and break into bite-sized pieces. Slice 1 red bell pepper and 1 yellow bell pepper into 1 cm strips. Peel and slice 1 yellow onion into thin half-moons. Mince 3 garlic cloves. Grate 40 g Parmesan cheese. Roughly chop 10 g fresh basil leaves.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage pieces and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking up with a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Transfer sausage to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

Add the sliced bell peppers and onion to the same skillet with the sausage fat. Cook over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and lightly charred at the edges.

Add the minced garlic, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes to the vegetables. Stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Pour 400 g crushed tomatoes into the skillet. Return the cooked sausage to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.

Add 100 g fresh spinach to the sauce and stir for 1-2 minutes until wilted. Add the drained rigatoni to the skillet and toss to combine. If the sauce seems too thick, add reserved pasta water 2 tbsp at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Remove from heat and stir in half of the grated Parmesan cheese and half of the chopped basil. Divide between two meal prep containers. Top each portion with the remaining Parmesan and basil. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in microwave or on stovetop with a splash of water.