If you’re looking to change up your weeknight pasta game this is the recipe for you – with a handful of simple ingredients and 20 minutes time you will have a flavorful and healthy pasta dinner ready for your family!
We have pasta about once a week in our home – and although I do love a simple butter and Parmesan cheese sauce, I go crazy for a red sauce. Normally a “good” red sauce cooks for hours over low heat and develops it’s flavors, but who has time for that during the week?
Our recipe combines zucchini, browned Italian sausage and a few classic herbs to create a sauce that tastes like Gramma used to make – and it record time too! See below for your shopping list of ingredients.
Shopping list
- Zucchini
- Italian Sausage (we use hot but you can use mild)
- Strained Tomatoes
- Shallots
- Garlic Powder
- Dried Basil and Oregano
- Parmesan Cheese
- Salt and Pepper
How sweet it is
I know many of us struggle with feeding healthy meals to our families without compromising flavor (or breaking our grocery budget) and that’s why I love to share simple recipes with you that I know even your picky eaters will enjoy.
This sausage zucchini pasta is truly a family favorite and is a fantastic way to sneak extra vegetables into your kids diet. When the zucchini cooks down in the sauce with the sausage it is hard to tell what is meat and what isn’t – which means less “Eww mom I am NOT eating this” at the dinner table!
Be sure to PIN THIS PASTA RECIPE so you have it for later!
Substitutions
As with many of our recipes we like to give you some easy substitutions you can make if you don’t have a particular ingredient – or if you just know your family will not touch it unless it has “X ingredient” omitted! See our easy subs below and let us know what others you make in the comments. Also be sure to check out this article on the proper internal cooking temperatures if you change your meat type.
- Italian Sausage – Ground Turkey, Beef or Chicken
- Zucchini – Eggplant or Winter Squash
- Shallots – Garlic and Onion
- Strained Tomatoes – Diced Tomatoes
More quick dinners
Here are a few of our favorite dinners for busy weeknights that you can enjoy all year round. Let us know your favorites in the comments!
- Mediterranean Tuna Melts
- Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole
- Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Homemade Pizza Dough
- Tuna Pasta with Peas
- 30 Minute Dinners for Spring – Taste of Home
Sausage & Zucchini Pasta
A delicious pasta recipe that uses zucchini, browned Italian sausage and a few classic herbs to create a sauce that tastes like Gramma used to make and can be served with your favorite pasta.
Ingredients
- 2 c Grated Zucchini
- 2 Italian Sausage Links, aprox 200g
- 1 jar Strained Tomatoes
- 2 Shallots, diced
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tbsp Dried Basil
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 1 c Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Cooked Pasta
Instructions
- In a medium pot squeeze the sausage out of the casing and saute with shallots for 5 minutes until browned.
- Add grated zucchini and allow to sweat for 1 minute before adding tomatoes, spices and ½ c of the Parmesan.
- Stir to fully combine and cook on low for 10 minutes while you prepare your pasta according to package directions - NOTE if you wish to bake yours once the sauce is mixed in like we do, you will want to cook your pasta to al dente so it isn't mushy.
- Once pasta and sauce are finished stir to combine in one pot until pasta is fully coated - top with remainder of the cheese and serve immediately OR bake in 450°F oven for 10 minutes until cheese is melted.
Notes
You may want to whip up a batch of our super easy Cheddar Garlic Biscuits to serve alongside your pasta!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1 bowlAmount Per Serving: Calories: 243Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 574mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 14g
Note; nutritional values are not always 100% accurate
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