Sausage Zucchini Pasta
Made with chicken sausage, olive oil, garlic, sliced zucchini, basil, lemon and parmesan, this summery zucchini pasta is so simple, quick and delicious!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 627kcal
Equipment
- Glass meal prep bowls for storing leftovers
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb rigatoni pasta
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 zucchini sliced and cut into crescents
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 cup fresh basil roughly chopped
Chicken sausage
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
Instructions
- Mix ground chicken with garlic and spices together in a large bowl to make the sausage and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil then add rigatoni, cooking for 9 minutes until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat half the olive oil in a large skillet, then add chicken sausage, crumbling up with a spatula. Cook for 5 minutes until browned, then remove from heat.
- In the same pan, add remaining olive oil and zucchini. Cook for 4-5 minutes until zucchini softens, then remove from heat. Without cleaning the pan, melt butter then add garlic and lemon zest. Saute for 1 minute, then add in pasta water and parmesan cheese, stirring well and bringing to a boil, then stir in lemon juice.
- Add cooked pasta, sausage and zucchini back to skillet, tossing well to combine. Stir in half of the basil leaves, then divide among 4 plates, garnishing with the remaining basil and a bit of extra parmesan if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Use store-bought sausage (casing removed) for convenience.
Use your favourite short pasta like rigatoni, penne, fusilli, cavatappi, or farfalle. Try gluten free pasta if needed.
Store leftovers or meal prep portions in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Add a splash of water when reheating in the microwave or skillet.
Freezing is not recommend as the zucchini can become watery and the parmesan sauce may separate when thawed.
Nutrition
Calories: 627kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 1418mg | Potassium: 451mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1033IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 194mg | Iron: 3mg