Italian Sausage and Spinach Strudel

This delightful Italian Sausage and Spinach Strudel is made easily with store-bought puff pastry. The tasty filling consists of sausage, spinach, roasted red pepper, ricotta, and Parmesan, making it a favorite for lunch, dinner, appetizers, or a fun party dish.

This savory strudel is such a breeze to put together and great for any occasion. With just over 30 minutes of active prep time and 25 minutes in the oven, it’s totally manageable any night of the week. 

Plus, it reheats beautifully, so you’ll definitely want some leftovers to enjoy later! If you’re hosting, having this strudel ready is a convenient option that can really reduce the stress of entertaining.

What’s the difference between strudel and stromboli?

Strudels are often sweet treats, but they can be made savory, too! On the other hand, strombolis are strictly savory and usually packed with delicious meat and cheese.

The main difference between these two tasty options is the type of dough they use. Strudels are wrapped in a light and flaky pastry dough, while strombolis are made with hearty pizza or bread dough. Both are delicious in their own way!

Store-bought puff pastry is fantastic! I love puff pastry recipes. Strudels are a wonderful way to make the most of this ingredient!

Ingredients needed:

• Sweet Italian sausage
• Frozen spinach
• Chopped onion
• Garlic cloves
• Roasted red pepper
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Black pepper
• Whole milk ricotta cheese
• Two puff pastry sheets
• Olive oil
• 1 egg

Recipe highlights:

• Preheat a large skillet on medium-high. Add olive oil, then sausages. Use a spatula to break up the sausages into small chunks. When they are 50% cooked, add the onions. Continue to break up the sausages until they are cooked through, about 3 additional minutes. Reduce the heat to medium if the bottom of the skillet begins to brown at any point.
• Cook the sausage in oil in a preheated large skillet on medium-high until it is 50% cooked, using a wooden spatula to break it into small chunks. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes. Next, add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Next, add spinach, roasted red peppers, and black pepper. Cook them for 2 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the burner and mix in the Parmesan cheese. Transfer the filling to a platter or small baking sheet, then refrigerate for 5-10 minutes.

• Roll the puff pastry into a 9 x 13-inch rectangle on a sheet of parchment paper. Position the longest side of the puff pastry so that it faces 12 o’clock at the top and 6 o’clock at the bottom. Spread half of the ricotta vertically along the center of the puff pastry, avoiding the top and bottom edges.
• Spread half of the filling over the ricotta, then brush the egg wash on the edges of the puff pastry.
• Using the parchment paper for assistance, fold one side of the puff pastry over the filling. Then, roll the pastry into a log, keeping the parchment paper in place as you roll. Press down gently to seal the bottom seam and tuck the sides of the puff pastry underneath to secure it.
• Repeat filling and rolling the second puff pastry sheet. Brush the puff pastry shells with an eggwash. Cut seven slits across the top of the puff pastry for venting.
• Bake for 22-27 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden and flaky.
• Refer to the recipe card below for detailed instructions.

Substitutions:

What I really love about this strudel is its versatility! You can customize the ingredients based on your preferences or what you have on hand. Here are some substitution options:

• Instead of sausage, you can use chicken, turkey, or cooked ground beef.
• If you prefer not to use spinach, consider substituting kale or broccoli.
• When it comes to cheese, feel free to mix it up! You can add Swiss, provolone, cheddar, or Fontina in addition to or as a replacement for ricotta and Parmesan.

Make-ahead options:

Prebaked strudel reheats wonderfully! You can make the strudel according to the recipe but undercook it for a few minutes minutes. When you’re ready to enjoy it, pop it in the oven at 350°F until the center is heated through. 

Another great option is the partly made-ahead method. Prepare the filling as instructed, allow it to cool, and store it in an airtight container. When you’re ready to serve, load defrosted puff pastry with the delicious filling and bake. This way, you’ll have a flaky puff pastry crust that’s even better than reheating a prebaked strudel.

How to store and reheat:

Let your strudel cool completely before you store it—this keeps it nice and fresh! Wrap it in paper towels to soak up any extra moisture, then place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

If you want to freeze the strudel, allow it to cool, then wrap it tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap before putting it in a freezer-safe container. It’ll stay delicious for up to 2 months! 

When you’re ready to serve, simply reheat the refrigerated strudel in a preheated 350°F oven until it’s heated through and tasty! Frozen strudel is best defrosted overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it as you would with refrigerated ones. If you notice the crust browning too quickly, feel free to loosely tent it with aluminum foil.

Pro tips:

• Allow the puff pastry to thaw overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter just until it can be handled without cracking.
• Roll the puff pastry and assemble it into a strudel on a parchment-lined surface to prevent sticking.
• To prevent adding moisture to the puff pastry, use whole-milk ricotta, which contains less water than the reduced-fat version. If you only have low-fat ricotta, no worries! Just give it a gentle pat with some paper towels to soak up extra liquid before using it.

Recommended supplies:

(Affiliate links. The products I recommend are either what I use, are on my wish list, or come highly rated.)

• Pastry brush—for brushing egg wash onto the puff pastry.
• Parchment paper—to provide a nonstick surface for working with and baking the puff pastry on.
• Wooden spatula—for breaking up the sausage during cooking. This one is made of high-density acacia wood and is safe for nonstick surfaces.
• Rubber spatula—for spreading the ricotta onto the puff pastry. This set of two has silicone tips and wooden handles.
• Skillet—this 12-inch hybrid skillet has stainless steel and nonstick technology, so it’s nonstick and durable. It is also PFOA-free and induction-compatible.
• Baking sheet—this extra-large nonstick baking sheet has a corrugated surface that facilitates airflow, even baking and quick release. It is PTFE, PFOA, and BPA-free and comes with a cooling rack.
• Rolling pin—this is made with premium natural wood and has a nonstick surface.

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Italian Sausage and Spinach Strudel

Author: In Good Flavor Cooking Method:Stovetop Cooked, Oven Baked/Roasted Cuisine:American Courses:Main Recipe Keys: C Carbohydrate High Protein

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 25 minutesCook time: 35 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time:1 hour Servings:16 servingsCalories: kcal Best Season:Suitable throughout the year

Description

This delightful Italian Sausage and Spinach Strudel is made easily with store-bought puff pastry. The tasty filling consists of sausage, spinach, roasted red pepper, ricotta, and Parmesan, making it a favorite for lunch, dinner, appetizers, or a fun party dish.

Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage with the casing removed
• 1 1/4 cups frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dried
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 12-ounce jar of roasted red peppers, chopped and patted dried (See Note *)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/3 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 (17.3 ounces) box Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry Sheets (2 sheets), defrosted
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water for egg wash

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Preheat a large skillet on medium-high. Add olive oil, then sausages. Use a spatula to break up the sausages into small chunks. When they are 50% cooked, add the onions. Continue to break up the sausages until they are cooked through, about 3 additional minutes. Reduce the heat to medium if the bottom of the skillet begins to brown at any point.
3. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Next, add spinach, roasted red peppers, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Remove the skillet from the burner and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Spread the mixture onto a platter or small baking sheet, and refrigerate it for 5-10 minutes to cool.
5. In the meantime, roll the puff pastry into a 9 x13-inch rectangle on a sheet of parchment paper. Position the longest side of the puff pastry so that it faces 12 o’clock at the top and 6 o’clock at the bottom. Use a rubber spatula to spread half of the ricotta vertically along the center of the puff pastry, avoiding the top and bottom edges.
6. Spread half of the filling over the ricotta (See Note **), then brush the edges with an egg wash.
7. Rotate the puff pastry 90° so that the longest side runs perpendicular to you. Using the parchment paper to lift, fold the pastry dough side closest to you over the filling. Then, roll the pastry into a log, keeping the parchment paper in place as you roll. Press down gently to seal the bottom seam, and tuck the sides of the puff pastry under to seal.
8. Slide the log onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat filling and rolling the second puff pastry sheet.
9. Brush the puff pastry shell with an eggwash. Use a sharp pointed knife to cut seven slits across the top of the puff pastry for venting.
10. Bake for 22-27 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden and flaky. Serve hot.
11. Makes 8 main dish servings or 16 appetizers.

Notes:

• *You won’t need the whole jar of roasted red peppers—just 1 cup, chopped, will do.
• ** Keep in mind that using too much filling can make rolling the puff pastry into a log a bit tricky. To avoid any spills while you roll, it’s a good idea to use less than half of the filling for your first pastry. And if you feel good about how the first strudel turned out, go ahead and use half of the filling for the second one.
• If you want to use fresh spinach, substitute the frozen spinach with 7-8 ounces of chopped spinach.

Keywords:Italian Sausage Strudel, Savory Strudel, Puff Pastry Recipes, Fun Party Dish

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