It doesn't get much better than this Pasta Primavera with Sausage recipe. Healthy and delicious!
Pasta Primavera is such an awesome dish..throw some sausage in there and it's game over! The best part about this primavera recipe is that it's so simple to make. It's a pasta recipe you can come back to over and over again.
Ok, first things first. Let's put up a pot of boiling water and start cooking the pasta. Cook to al dente and when it's done, set it aside. We'll come back to it later.
I tend to use chicken sausage when I make a dish with sausage, but this Premio Sweet Basil Italian sausage really hit the spot. If you're looking for more sausage recipes, you have to try this Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage.
Let's add a tiny bit of oil in a large pot and start browning the meat. Cook through and remove from the pot and set aside for at least 5 minutes.
Add some more olive oil to the pot and add your vegetables. Broccoli, bell peppers, and zucchini. Not only a tasty medley of veggies...a colorful one too.
When the vegetables are soft, we'll add the tomatoes. Cento's San Marzano Whole Peeled Tomatoes are the best out there and my go-to brand. They break apart so easily and taste great. Add some basil too while you're at it 🙂
I like my sauce more on the "liquidy" side, so I added some chicken broth and some white wine too! Bring the sauce to a boil, then simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. Oh and while the sauce cooks, cut up the sausage link into 1" pieces.
Add the sausage, mix, and cook until heated through.
Do you have to use sausage for Pasta Primavera?
Nope. In fact, a typical Pasta Primavera is made up of just pasta and fresh vegetables. The only time I'll add little meat to it is if I have that's been sitting in my freezer for a while and I need to use it soon or if I'm just craving sausage :). Either way, it's a special treat that makes me very happy!
Let's finish this meal and add the cooked penne rigate.
What is Primavera sauce made of?
I'm sure there are variations to Primavera sauce but the short answer is...vegetables! In mine, I used whole peeled tomatoes, broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, garlic, white wine, and chicken broth. Oh yeah...and I added some sausage cause why not, right?!?
If you like sausage in your pasta, be sure to try my creamy Bolognese sauce. Feel free to use ground beef with it instead, but either way you won't be disappointed!
Tools I used in this recipe:
- Lodge 7.5 Quart Dutch Oven
- Rachael Ray Pasta Pot
- Misen Chef's Knife
- J.K. Adams Reversible Butterfly Carving Board
- KP Kitchen Measuring Cups/Spoons
- Chef Craft Colander
- Riveira Wooden Cooking Utensils
Recipe
Pasta Primavera with Sausage
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne rigate or another pasta of your choice
- 1 lb Italian sweet sausage rope or links are both ok
- 3 cloves garlic chopped or minced
- 2 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup zucchini chopped
- 1 cup bell peppers chopped
- 28 oz whole peeled tomatoes broken apart with your hands in a bowl
- 1 cup white wine dry, crisp
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Put up a bot of salted water in a pasta pot and start boiling. Cook the pasta to al dente, drain and set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil on medium and add the sausage to the pan. Cook for about 4-5 minutes and then flip to the other side and cook for another 4-5 minutes until the sausage is cooked through. Let sit for at least 5 minutes then break apart into small pieces.
- Add another 2 tbsp of olive oil to the same pan and add your garlic. Cook until fragrant - about 30 seconds. Add all the vegetables and cook for about 3-4 minutes until they begin to get soft.
- Add the tomatoes, wine, chicken broth, and basil and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once boiling, simmer for about 10 minutes until you reach your desired consistency (we'll be adding the pasta to the sauce, which will soak up some of the liquid so try and keep the sauce a little more on the liquidy side for now).
- Add the sausage and heat through for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add the pasta to the sauce and mix thoroughly and cook for about 2 minutes until the pasta is heated up.
Notes
Nutrition
About The Skinny Guinea
Hey...how you doin'? I'm Tommy, The Skinny Guinea…just a busy dad who loves to cook. Offering easy to cook dinners and family friendly recipes, while always staying true to my Italian roots!
My husband is an alcoholic - is there a substitute for the wine?
Absolutely...I love using some sort of broth or stock as an alternative...usually chicken but you can also use beef or even vegetable and experiment a bit to see what you like. You can also always just leave the wine out. Hope you enjoyed!
My favorite summertime dish.. Delish!
Thanks Toni! One of my absolute favorites too!