Sausage Alfredo Stuffed French Bread

This post is sponsored by Bertolli®.

Life has been so crazy hectic lately. We packed up our house, closed on our sale, and moved last weekend (more on that soon!). Meanwhile, Jeff has been busier than ever at work, so when I say we are doing these things--packing up our entire house, getting it all cleaned out, moving--I’m doing like 95% of it alone. So a lot of things have been neglected lately, and family dinners are a huge one. (For example, our dinner tonight was cereal, blackberries, and hot dogs. Gourmet!)

I have sorely missed cooking during these last few crazy weeks, and now that we’re getting settled into our new place, I am so excited to prioritize family dinners again. I got a little head start last week, when I took a break from packing and organizing and cleaning to make this dinner.

It’s a twist on an old favorite I used to make years ago when Jeff and I were both in school. We never had a ton of time for meals, but one favorite of ours was French bread alfredo pizzas. I completely forgot that it used to be a favorite of ours . . . until the invitation to create a recipe featuring Bertolli Alfredo. I decided to revamp that old recipe, and add a little seasonal produce in the form of some fresh spinach. And instead of making our old favorite as French bread pizzas, I stuffed the bread with creamy, savory filling to turn it into a giant baked sandwich. It turned out amazing. Amazing enough that Jeff and I ate the leftovers the next morning for breakfast.

And since it starts with store bought French bread and Alfredo sauce, it is so quick and simple to whip up. Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner when you don’t have a ton of time to get dinner pulled together. Or, for instance, at the end of a long day of packing and scrubbing.

You’ll start by browning Italian sausage with diced onions, then toss in chopped fresh spinach. Pour in your Bertolli Alfredo Sauce and heat it through.

While it heats, slice your loaf of bread in half lengthwise, and hollow it out, tearing the soft inner bread into small pieces and adding them to a bowl.

 

Toss the sausage mixture with the torn up bread pieces, then spread it into the hollowed-out loaf half.

Top it with fresh mozzarella cheese.

And the remaining bread half.

Bake it in the oven to heat through and melt the cheese, then slice it up and serve—absolutely delicious, and so quick to prepare!

Sausage Alfredo Stuffed French Bread
inspired by Life in the Lofthouse

1 loaf French bread (I used store bought bread, but homemade would be incredible!)
1 pound mild Italian sausage
half medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh spinach
1 cup Bertolli Alfredo Sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (you’ll notice mine is sliced instead of shredded—already packed the grater!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage with onions and garlic. While it cooks, slice the loaf of bread in half horizontally, and tear out the soft bread in the middle. Rip it into small pieces and place it in a large bowl. Place the bottom half of the loaf in the prepared baking sheet.

When the sausage is cooked through, add the spinach and cook an additional 1-2 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Add alfredo sauce and heat through.

Add sausage mixture to bowl with torn bread pieces, and stir to combine. Spread this mixture in the bottom half of the loaf, top with cheese, and then top with remaining bread half. Bake 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

_________________________________________________________________________

As Bertolli®celebrates its 150th anniversary, they also want to help you commemorate your special moments this year big and small. Check out their Facebook page to see  how you can win a dinner celebration and other prizes!

Viva Bertolli® and join me in celebrating 150 years of delicious Italian food, friends and family. Felice Anniversario and Buono Appetito! Visit Bertolli on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more inspirations and ideas to bring Tuscany to your table.