Basil-y, garlicky, and cheesy, this Sausage & Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta is packed with flavor! It’s a dinner that’s highly customizable, so be sure to check out the variation possibilities!
Feeding a group:
Follow the instructions as they are!
Not feeding a group:
If you’re only feeding one or two people, and the entirety of the dish will not be consumed on the first night, I recommend keeping the components separate.
Make the batch of pesto and store it in the refrigerator. For each new day:
- Make the pasta fresh
- Stir in a serving of the pesto from the fridge
- Add in the sausages, cheeses, and sun-dried tomatoes
This is because pesto and sun-dried tomatoes do not always reheat well without getting an oily consistency, and it’s a meal that overall tastes ideal when fresh! (It’s best not to microwave this one.)
Can you use store-bought pesto?
Feel free to experiment! You can adjust the add-ins to taste based on what variety you use. This recipe uses the basic ingredients of my Nut-Free Pesto.
Other variations:
This meal is super versatile if you have any dietary restrictions!
- Gluten-free? Use gluten-free pasta.
- Dairy-free? Use vegan cheeses.
- Vegetarian? There are tons of veggie sausages out there!
Kitchen Equipment:
- A Food Processor
- A Cheese Grater (unless the cheese is pre-grated)
- A Large Pot
- A Colander
- 10 x 15 Baking Or Serving Dish (or equivalent)
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
PESTO
Equates to approx. 1 1/4 Cups if substituting store-bought
- 3 Cups Fresh Basil Leaves, packed
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3/4 Cup Finely Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
PASTA
- 1 lb Penne, or pasta of choice
ADD-INS
- 12 oz Spicy Italian Chicken Sausages, cooked and chopped
- 1 Cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes, blotted to remove excess oil, and chopped/halved
- 4 oz Crumbled Feta
- 1/4 Cup Finely Grated Parmesan Cheese
TO SERVE
- Extra Sea Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
- Optional – Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
Directions:
PESTO
Wash, dry, and de-stem the basil leaves
Peel the garlic cloves
Blend the basil leaves and garlic cloves in a food processor, then add in the olive oil and blend again until thoroughly mixed
Once smooth, pour the mixture into a bowl and stir in the 3/4 cup parmesan
Add sea salt and black pepper to taste
Set aside
PASTA
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions
Drain in a colander and set aside
SAUSAGES
While the pasta is cooking, cook the sausages according to the package instructions
Chop into small bite-sized pieces
Set aside
SUN-DRIED TOMATOES
Blot the tomatoes to remove the excess oil from the jar, and chop in half into bite-sized pieces
Set aside
ASSEMBLE
Add the pasta, sausage pieces, and sun-dried tomatoes into a 10 x 15 baking or serving dish (or equivalent)
Stir in scoops of the pesto until well-coated
Mix in the feta and the 1/4 cup parmesan
Serve with extra sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper to taste
Enjoy!