Italian Sausage Pasta Primavera is a staple meal at our house, especially during the summer when I can use whatever our garden is producing at the time. I love that it’s easy to adjust the vegetables to whatever is in season– it’s one of the reasons (besides flavor!) that I come back to it again and again.
It’s also easy and quick (start to finish is 20-30 minutes, depending on what prep is needed for the veggies) and like most pasta dishes is wonderfully inexpensive.
Here are the ingredients I used for this meal (all the veggies from the garden – yeah!):
- Sliced red and yellow peppers
- sliced and quartered zucchini
- onion
- corn,
- green beans trimmed and cut into two inch pieces
- fresh basil and garden garlic.
I always use garlic and onion while the other vegetables and herbs change with the seasons. You will also need whipping cream, butter, olive oil and Parmesan cheese (yes, it’s OK – we use a little with the benefit being that the real fat keeps us satisfied so we don’t raid the cupboard 2 hours later- that’s the joy of real food).
A pound of pasta and Italian sausage round out the ingredients, but of course the sausage could be left out for a true “pasta primavera” (which would lower the cost, as well) – but then my family wouldn’t like it, ha!
Brown the sausage in a large 12-inch skillet in about a tablespoon of olive oil (you’ll want a large pan to hold all the vegetables).
I want crisp vegetables, but I’m not willing to add the time (and dirty dishes!) needed to do each vegetable separately, so I have a certain order I cook them: garlic and onion are first after the meat has browned, then I add the ones that need the most cooking next and work my way down through to the one that need the least.
Mix the vegetables with the pasta and serve with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese.
[recipe]
Italian Sausage Pasta Primavera
- 1 lb. pasta
- 1 Tb. olive oil
- 1 lb. Italian sausage
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 to 6 cups of vegetables of choice (green beans, broccoli, peppers, carrots, etc.)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, chives, thyme) OR 1-2 tsp. dried
- 1 Tb. butter
- 3/4 c. to 1 c. whipping cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for garnish
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, brown sausage in olive oil. Add garlic and onion and cook a few minutes.
- Add other vegetables according to the amount of time needed to cook (green beans and carrots need more time than peppers and broccoli), sauteing with the meat for a few minutes each. If using dry herbs, add at this point.
- Add the butter and whipping cream (start with 3/4 c. and add more if needed), and stir over medium-high heat for a few minutes.
- Add the fresh herbs, if using, and the 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Continue to cook until the sauce thickens somewhat.
- Mix the sauce with the pasta and top with more grated Parmesan cheese before serving.
Serves 4-6
[/recipe]
Hi Jami,
I made this for dinner tonight since we’re overrun with zucchini, squash, and green beans at the moment and it was delicious! My husband is the real cook in the family and inevitably when I cook, it’s a little bit of a let-down. 🙂 Not the case with this dish!
Thanks for sharing!
Erin
Carolina Country Living
This looks delicious!
Ah this is one of our favorite dishes too. I make the sauce a bit different though. Once I have saute’d the veggies, I sprinkle a bit of flour over the top and cook it with the vegetables a bit. Then I add 2 cups of what ever kind of milk I have on hand, and cook until it thickens.
I am not opposed to the cream, I just usually don’t have it around, and this is one of my favorite end of the week meals where I can toss in what ever vegetable odds and ends I have left. I call it “Clean out the fridge pasta”. Sounds delicious doesn’t it? 🙂