Ingredients:

  • 1 pound (450g) Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (approx. 1 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (approx. 2 teaspoons)
  • 8 ounces (225g) fresh spinach, roughly chopped
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) Arborio rice (risotto rice)
  • 4 cups (950ml) hot chicken broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • ½ cup (60g) heavy cream
  • 1 cup (100g) grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Brown the sausage in a large skillet. Remove and set aside. Drain excess grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon.
  2. Add olive oil to the skillet, then sauté the onion and garlic until softened.
  3. Add the spinach and red pepper flakes (if using) to the skillet and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Add the browned sausage back to the skillet with the spinach mixture.
  5. Melt butter in the same skillet. Add the Arborio rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes to toast the rice.
  6. Gradually add the hot chicken broth to the rice, stirring constantly until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Don't let it dry out completely.
  7. Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese into the rice mixture. Combine the rice mixture with the sausage and spinach in the baking dish. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.
  8. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 40-50 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the top is golden brown.
  9. Let the baked rice rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.