Garlic Pasta with Sausage

Introducing: your new favorite pasta dish for the summer. I am all for a good spaghetti and meat sauce pasta, but sometimes you want something a bit lighter and brighter. This is just that recipe. The sauce is butter-based and the tomatoes add a great fresh element to the dish.

Italian is my favorite cuisine. And pasta is my favorite food. But growing up, I never really loved red meat sauce, or any sauce. My go-to was pasta, butter, and cheese. Thankfully, my tastes have evolved since then, but I feel like this is the grown-up version of my favorite childhood dish. The fresh tomatoes and garlic add a beautiful freshness that is perfect for summer, and finishing the sauce with lemon really brightens the whole dish. There aren’t a lot of crazy flavors in this dish, so it’s great for picky eaters, but it’s perfect blend of the right ingredients to achieve that restaurant-level taste. People will think you spent so much more time and money making this than you actually did!

I first made this recipe with chicken sausage and I love how the milder flavor of chicken sausage compliments the flavors in the dish. However, my husband prefers regular pork Italian sausage, and I’ll say it tastes great with both types of meat. If you wanted to make this recipe vegetarian or even vegan, you can omit the sausage and substitute vegan butter and cheese. An addition that I haven’t tried yet, but I’m sure will taste great, would be wilting in some spinach before mixing the sauce in with the pasta. I’m always looking for sneaky ways to add in greens to my diet.

*I’m sure there are recipes out there similar to this one, but I did not adapt this knowingly from someone else’s recipe. I threw this together one day for lunch and it turned out amazing, so I’m hoping you’ll love it too!

Garlic Pasta with Sausage

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* prep time: 10 minutes
* cook time: 12 minutes
* total time: 22 minutes
* servings: 4-6

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Ingredients:

– 3/4 Package of Spaghetti (around 13 oz)
– 1 10 oz Carton of Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
– 1 19 oz Package of Chicken or Pork Italian Sausage (5 links)
– 3 tbsp Olive Oil, divided
– 1/4 ts Salt
– 1/4 tsp Pepper
– 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
– 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
– 4 tbsp Butter
– 2 cloves Minced Garlic (1 tsp)
– 3/4 cup Reserved Pasta Water
– 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
– Lemon Juice
– Red Pepper Flakes

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Instructions:

1. Set a pot of water to boil and season generously with salt. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
   
   
2. Cut your sausage into 1/4 inch coins. Add them to the skillet and cook until browned on both sides. If using a raw sausage, make sure the meat is cooked through.
   
   
3. Cook your pasta according to package directions; I usually set a timer for 10-11 minutes. Don't forget to reserve your pasta water for the sauce before draining!
   
   
4. Once the sausage is cooked, set it aside and drain the excess fat. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet.
   
   
5. Cut your tomatoes in quarters and add them to the skillet. Be careful as they will start popping.
   
   
6. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Cover and sauté until tomatoes are soft and start to burst.
   
   
7. Add the butter. Add in the garlic once the butter is melted and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
   
   
8. Adjust the heat to low and begin to whisk in your pasta water. Start with 1/3 cup. Whisk in lemon juice, slowly adding more pasta water as needed until you form a creamy sauce.
   
   
9. Drain your pasta and add it to the skillet. Toss to coat.
   
   
10. Add in the sausage, cheese, and the red pepper flakes to taste and toss again to combine.
    
    
11. Serve and enjoy!
    
    

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Notes:
–To bring more fresh elements into the dish, substitute the dried Italian herbs for fresh herbs.
– To make this vegetarian or vegan, omit the sausage and substitute a vegan butter and cheese.