I should probably change the tag of my blog to “Confessions of a pasta-holic” or “Page would rather go without cookies for a year before giving up pasta.” While I like to pretend that I’m a purveyor of fine pastas, the truth of the matter is that I love everything from the 68 cent box of Piccolini to the hand-made ribbons of goodness.
Last week, I added a new dish to our rotating favorites and I thought it was time to share it with you all. It’s probably the easiest pasta dish you could ever make…well, outside of mac ‘n cheese that is. I like to call it:
Spicy Sausage and Veggie Pasta-rama!
It’s spicy, it’s simple and I guarantee you’ll feel satisfied.
Ingredients
1 box of your favorite pasta
1 package of pre-cooked sausage (I like the spicy chicken sausage from Trader Joes)
2 cloves of garlic
1 hot red pepper (you can substitute red pepper flakes at the end)
3-4 small to medium bell peppers
Other veggies you can include: 1 small squash and 1 small onion (I didn’t have these the second time I made the dish, so you can really use whatever veggies you have on hand)
Basil
Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper
Directions
- Chop, chop, chop! Give all of your ingredients a good chop. This includes the sausage, garlic, hot pepper, bell peppers, basil, and squash and onions if you have them.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium to high heat.
- Add the garlic and hot pepper – sauté slightly.
- Add your sausage to the hot skillet. Cook and be sure to keep flipping those little bad boys.
- Bring salted water to a boil; cook your pasta to al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, add your veggies to the sausage skillet (do not add the basil). When you add the veggies, the sausages should be slightly browned, but not all the way as they will continue to cook with the veggies.
- Drain pasta, but be sure to save about a cup or so of the pasta water.
- Once everything is cooked (pasta and sausage/veggies), add the pasta to the large sausage/veggie skillet. This is where you have a personal choice to make: what do you want the pasta to sausage/veggie ratio to be? If you want more sausage/veggies per serving, do not add all of the pasta as it tends to be a bit too much.
- If desired, pour some of your reserved pasta water.
- At the final moment, stir in your chopped basil, top with parmesan cheese, sprinkle salt and pepper as desired.
And that’s it! Nom nom nom.
What are some of your favorite pasta dishes? I’m always looking to add more to my collection.
Happy Running!
yessssss. another new delicious pasta to try! I heart pasta.
“Like” (thanks!)
Oh God that looks awesome!
This looks so delicious. I’m such a pasta fiend. And we have sausage in the fridge…
That looks so tasty! 🙂 Have to make it. Stat.
Just wanted to say hello! I found your site through someone’s blogroll today and wound up spending the better part of this afternoon reading your old posts. You sound like an incredible runner, and I loved reading your Boston recaps!
This isn’t a pasta dish, but you could sub ww pasta for the rice. Its ready in about 90 sec. Brown rice + tuna in olive oil + parmeshan cheese — boom. Add a side salad. Dinner. Done.
Can’t wait to try your recipe!
for me, anything with pesto is a win!
I am totally trying this! I HEART pasta, too. I literally eat pasta at least once a day every single day.