Sausage and Peppers Pasta
This Sausage and Peppers Pasta is quick and easy, flavorful, and the simple dinner recipe you need right now! Made with gluten-free pasta, chicken sausage, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil. This is one comforting, hearty and satisfying meal. The best part is it comes together in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 3 cups gluten-free fusilli pasta
- 12 oz chicken sausage (precooked)
- 3 multi-colored bell peppers (Red, Orange and Yellow)
- 1 large yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 tsp pink sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp balsamic
- 1 tbsp fresh basil (plus more for garnish)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
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Start by prepping vegetables and sausage. Julienne bell peppers, onion, and basil. Half tomatoes and mince garlic. Slice sausage into rounds as thick or thin as you prefer. I like to slice sausage diagonally to give it more of an elegant look.
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Fill up a large pot with water and add some salt. Bring to a boil and add 3 cups gluten-free fusilli pasta. Cook for about 8 minutes or until it's cooked al dente (time may vary depending on pasta brand). Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking process. Bring cooked pasta back to pot and drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and stir. Set aside.
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While pasta is cooking, add 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil to a large cast iron skillet. Bring to a heat on medium-high. Add onions, garlic and peppers and sauté for 3-4 minutes until onions start to translucent, garlic starts to toast and peppers begin to soften. Add sausage and continue to sauté until sausage starts to char (about 3-5 minutes). While sausage and veggies are sautéing, add your spices and herbs; salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, balsamic and fresh basil.
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Turn heat down to medium-low and stir in tomatoes. Continue to sauté for about 2-3 minutes. You want your tomatoes to be cooked just enough that they start to soften and release their juices. However, be careful not to overcook tomatoes. It's fine if you do, however, they taste better in this pasta if they are slightly soften but still firm enough. If they get overcooked they will be too soft, start to peel and release too many juices into the rest of veggies and sausage.
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Turn heat off and add cooked sausage and veggies into pot of cooked pasta. Stir making sure all the ingredients and mixed well into the pasta. Serve immediately and garnish with more fresh basil. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.
Recipe Notes
Tips for making Sausage and Peppers Pasta:
- Prep all ingredients ahead- this recipe cooks pretty fast, especially since the sausage it calls for is precooked. Prep all your veggies, sausage, etc. before you start cooking.
- Drizzle cooked gluten-free pasta with olive oil- gluten-free pasta tends to stick together after it's been cooked. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil to keep this from happening.
- Don’t overcook tomatoes- it's not the end of the world if this happens. However, this dish is better if the tomatoes are cooked just enough to get their juices running but are still plump enough.
- Use a different type of sausage- Give turkey or pork sausage a try for a different flavor or if you're not a fan of chicken sausage. Use precooked sausage but if you prefer to use traditional Italian sausage, just give it more time for the sausage to cook through. You can use less oil too since this type of sausage has a lot of natural oils.
- Switch up the pasta- have fun with your pasta! Use penne, farfalle, or rotini!