Sausage Pepper Pasta – Roasted red peppers and savory chicken sausage make this a dynamite weeknight meal done in no time! (Gluten free, dairy free)
We’ve got some speedy standbys we turn to–things like breakfast for dinner, stir fry, salads, and rice bowls. They’re done quickly without sacrificing flavor, and everyone can find something they like.
Pasta is another favorite at our house. We’ve got so many different variations we turn to throughout the year, and yet I never get tired of experimenting. This Sausage Pepper Pasta has turned into one of those quick, easy “clean out the fridge” meals that works great on a budget. If you have pasta and sausage, the rest is pretty flexible. Here’s my favorite combination (and a video!) to get you started…
I used Open Nature roasted garlic and red pepper sausage for the dish pictured below, and the flavors are awesome. I tried to more or less mimic those flavors in the add-ins, adding more bell peppers, garlic, and spinach for color. The result is mouthwatering! So much savory goodness going on, and yet this still felt like a lighter pasta dish.
You can easily change the flavor vibe of the pasta by swapping out your sausage. You can choose more classic Italian sausage, spicy Cajun andouille, artichoke and garlic, sun-dried tomato, jalapeño, and more.
You can absolutely play around with the veggies, too! If you’re not into mushrooms, skip them! Try adding in some sautéed bell peppers and onions, or some sliced zucchini or yellow squash. Add some sliced baby tomatoes to your sauté, or stir in some sun-dried ones for a deeper flavor.
All I know is that you are 30 minutes (or less!) away from one delicious pasta dinner. Enjoy!
NOTES ON THE RECIPE:
A tip for my low-carb friends. If you need or choose to follow a lower-carb diet, you can totally skip the pasta and add some extra veggies–maybe some sliced zucchini and yellow squash, or a few colors of bell pepper and onion to turn this into a one-pan skillet instead of a pasta dish. Or, you can serve the whole thing over spaghetti squash instead. I love it every way imaginable.
Change things up! As I mentioned above, you can play with the veggies here–use whatever you have in your fridge, whatever sounds good, or whatever is on sale! The combination below is my favorite, but I love adding zucchini or yellow squash, fresh baby tomatoes (halved), or sun-dried tomatoes. You could also stir in a little pasta sauce or pesto if you like!
A note on sausage. I favor chicken sausages most of the time since it’s easier for me to find high-quality ones and they’re typically a better balance of fats and protein for my taste (lower fat than pork, for instance). You can totally use what you can find. If you like turkey or pork sausage, feel free to go that route! I just recommend pre-cooked sausages, so you can slice them.
Gluten free pasta. We’ve tried a LOT of brands over the last three years. Our favorites are Tinkyada brown rice pastas, Rao’s gluten free, and Trader Joe’s.
Like this recipe? You might also love…
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- Dirty Risotto
Sausage and Pepper Pasta
- Yield: 4-5 servings 1x
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 4 chicken sausages (about 12oz–see notes for suggestions!), sliced
- 6–8oz sliced mushrooms
- 2–3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 (8oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 1/2–3/4 cup reserved pasta water (save when you drain your pasta)
- 8oz pasta, cooked according to package directions
- Optional, for serving: fresh basil, 1-2 Tbsp pesto, or lemon zest.
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving 1/2-3/4 cup of the cooking liquid when you drain the pasta.
- While pasta is cooking, make the sausage and veggies.
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil (about 1 Tbsp) over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large pot.
- Add chicken sausages and cook 5-7 minutes, or until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add mushrooms and cook until tender, 5-7 minutes, adding more olive oil if needed.
- Return cooked sausage to the pan and add spinach, roasted red peppers, 1/4c or so pasta water, and cooked pasta. Stir to combine, and add additional pasta water as needed.
- If desired, top with a little fresh basil, lemon zest, or pesto!
Notes
A note on sausages. My favorite brands of chicken sausage are Aidell’s, Trader Joe’s, and Open Nature. They all have pretty clean ingredient lists, and offer a wide variety of flavor options. For this dish, I usually stick with something like Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic, or Italian-flavored sausages, but you can change this up by using Cajun andouille sausage, Sun-dried tomato, garlic and artichoke, jalapeño, etc.
A tip for my low-carb friends. If you need or choose to follow a lower-carb diet, you can totally skip the pasta and add some extra veggies–maybe some sliced zucchini and yellow squash, or a few colors of bell pepper and onion to turn this into a one-pan skillet instead of a pasta dish. Or, you can serve the whole thing over spaghetti squash instead. I love it every way imaginable.
Change things up! As I mentioned above, you can play with the veggies here–use whatever you have in your fridge, whatever sounds good, or whatever is on sale! The combination below is my favorite, but I love adding zucchini or yellow squash, fresh baby tomatoes (halved), or sun-dried tomatoes. You could also stir in a little pasta sauce or pesto if you like!
I love this meal. I would try out this recipe this month. Pinned it to pinterest for later.