Italian sausage pasta is exploding with flavor! Hearty sausage and roasted vegetables meld with pasta for the ultimate dinner. Enjoy!
Do you ever just get a hankerin’ for something? You imagine the flavors that you want and that image doesn’t leave your brain. For days. It keeps invading your thoughts until finally, you relent and cry, “Uncle!” That was me last week.
The result? Shangri-La!!! This dish has a little bit of everything — savory italian sausage, sweet roasted peppers, briny capers and olives, tender vegetables and pasta — the holy grail of comfort foods!!! Emily and Scott were all about this too. 
The best part of this recipe is that the veg and sausage don’t need a lot of hand-holding. Just pop ’em in the oven to roast. You could slice the peppers and add them to the veg to cook at the same time, but (and this is weird about me) I like roasted peppers to slide down my throat, unfettered. And I’m afraid that their papery skins — fetter it. So while the other veg was on the roasting pan, I cooked the whole bell peppers in the oven, just until the flesh was soft and the skins were blackened. Then they went into a bowl covered with plastic wrap to cool. I peeled off those tough skins and they were ready for action.
And let me say that while the sausage crisped and the zucchini and tomatoes caramelized, the house was filled with the most luscious aroma.
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Roasted Vegetable and Italian Sausage Pasta
- Total Time: 95 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Hearty Italian sausage and roasted vegetables tossed with fresh pasta. A simple, flavorful weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (710 ml) grape tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 medium yellow squash
- 1 small red onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 0.25 teaspoon red pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lbs (454 g) italian sausages
- 1 lbs (454 g) corkscrew pasta
- 0.5 cups (118 ml) kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Place bell peppers into oven and cook until skin is papery and blackened, about 35-45 minutes. Remove and transfer peppers to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the peppers steam in the bowl.
- On a large baking sheet, combine the zucchini, squash, onion, garlic, basil, fennel, oregano, red pepper flakes, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss the vegetables until well coated with the oil, herbs, and spices. Add the sausage and spread everything into an even layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 35-40 minutes.
- While vegetables are roasting, prepare the pasta and cook until al dente. Rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process and drain. Set aside.
- When the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the skins, stems, and seeds and cut the peppers into thin strips. Transfer peppers to a large bowl. Add the roasted vegetables and sausage to the peppers. Scrape the pan to get all of the juicy goodness into the bowl. Add the olives, capers, and red wine vinegar. Toss to combine.
- Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Top with the vegetables and all the juices. Sprinkle with fresh basil and parsley. Serve.
Notes
- For optimal roasting, cut vegetables into similar-sized pieces for even cooking.
- To reduce prep time, use pre-cut bell peppers from the grocery store.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheated gently.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 25
- Cholesterol: 80
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I roast the bell peppers for the pasta?
To roast the bell peppers, place them in the oven until the flesh is soft and the skins are blackened. After roasting, cover them in a bowl with plastic wrap to steam, which makes peeling the skins easier.
What type of Italian sausage works best for this recipe?
You can use either sweet or spicy Italian sausage, depending on your flavor preference. Both will complement the roasted vegetables and pasta beautifully.
How do I know when the zucchini and tomatoes are properly roasted?
The zucchini and tomatoes should be caramelized and tender when roasted, which typically takes about 20-25 minutes in the oven. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t overcook.
One rule of Italian cooking is “never rinse the pasta” rather time it so it is ready with the veg. and sausage. Great recipe though.
Hi Andrew — you’re right! And I usually just scoop the pasta out of the water with a slotted spoon and mix it into whatever sauce, topping, accoutrement I’m serving it with – I had to take pictures of this, though – which, by the way, is harder than it looks.