If you’re looking for a hearty vegetarian dinner with a fresh summer taste, this Crispy Sausage Pesto Pasta with Veggies is it! Plant-based sausage is sliced thinly and then crisped up in a frying pan. The pasta is tossed with fresh pesto sauce, and any vegetables you have on hand will work great. Enjoy this healthy and filling vegetarian dinner on a busy weeknight when you want something delicious but don’t have a lot of time.
I don’t often use processed vegetarian/vegan meat substitutes in my recipes, but I have wanted to try out some plant-based sausages for a while now. This Crispy Sausage Pesto Pasta with Veggies was the perfect way to use them, and I think you all will love how nice and crispy the thin slices get! This is also a great recipe to make when you have a few random veggies on hand that need to be used up.
Basil is usually one of the reasons I love having a summer garden, but this year, none of my basil plants came up, and I never got around to buying starts to add to the garden. Fresh pesto is always a must-make at the end of the summer, though, so I bought a big box of fresh basil at the store and whipped some up. While you can use pesto in many different ways, pesto pasta is always a favorite of mine.
Why You’ll Love This Crispy Sausage Pesto Pasta With Veggies
- It’s a great cross between summer and fall – This pasta recipe is great because it’s cozy and hearty, but you can also make it with fresh basil pesto and summer veggies from your garden.
- You can use any veggies you have on hand – I used zucchini, red bell pepper, red onion, and green peas because that’s what I happened to have. This is a great recipe to make if you have a bunch of random veggies that need to be used up.
- It only takes 30 minutes to make – You can cook the sausage and veggies while the pasta is cooking, making this an easy 30-minute dinner, from start to finish.
Crispy Sausage Pesto Pasta Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pasta – You can use any kind of pasta you like for this recipe. I prefer a smaller, bite-sized pasta, like rotini, but spaghetti can also be used. Gluten-free pasta will work great if needed.
- Pesto Sauce – I used a homemade basil pesto sauce, but you can certainly use store-bought as well. I have an easy and delicious vegan pesto recipe here, too. If you don’t like pesto, you can always use red sauce instead.
- Sausage – For this recipe, I used store-bought vegetarian sausages, that I thinly sliced and then browned in a pan. There are quite a few different kinds of vegetarian sausages out there, so you can decide which one you prefer. I posted a photo of the ones I used above, and I recommend them!
- Vegetables – This recipe is great for using up any vegetables you have on hand. I used a mixture of zucchini, red bell pepper, red onion, and frozen peas. Other veggies that would work well are mushrooms, green pepper, broccoli, carrots, kale, spinach, green beans, etc.
How To Make Pesto Pasta with Crispy Sausage and Veggies
- Heat a large pot of water until boiling. Add your pasta and cook according to package directions. Before draining, reserve a little of the hot pasta water in case the pesto sauce needs to be thinned out. When pasta is finished cooking, drain and add back to the pot.
- I like to cook my pasta while I cook the sausage and veggies. If the pasta gets done first, add it back to the pot and mix the pesto sauce immediately to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
- If needed, remove the sausage from the casing and slice into thin slices, about 1/4 of an inch thick. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add 2-3 teaspoons olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add the sliced sausage and cook until the slices are browned and a little bit crispy, 5-7 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside.
- Add 1-2 teaspoons olive oil back to the pan, and add your diced vegetables, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix together and cook the veggies until softened and all the water has cooked out. I like mine a little bit browned.
- Add the pesto sauce to the cooked pasta (if you haven’t already done so) and mix well. Thin the sauce out with pasta water, if needed. Next, add the crispy sausage and cooked vegetables. Mix everything together until completely combined and season with extra salt and black pepper to taste.
Pesto Pasta Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Can gluten-free pasta be used? Yes, you can easily swap out your favorite gluten-free pasta in this recipe.
- Is this pesto pasta recipe vegan? The pesto I used was not dairy-free, but you can easily make this recipe vegan by using vegan pesto and ensuring your veggie sausages are also vegan.
- Can anything be substituted for the sausage? You could also use crispy roasted chickpeas instead of buying vegetarian sausages.
- How long do leftovers last in the refrigerator? If stored in an airtight container, they should last 4-5 days.
- What kind of sausages are used in the blog post photos? I used Field Roast smoked apple and sage plant-based sausages. I enjoyed them and definitely recommend them!
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP.
Looking For More Hearty Vegetarian Dinner Recipes?
Vegetarian Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches
Creamy Golden Squash Pasta with Parmesan
Bean and Cheese Enchilada Casserole
Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
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Crispy Sausage Pesto Pasta with Veggies
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
If you’re looking for a hearty vegetarian dinner that also has a fresh summer taste, this Crispy Sausage Pesto Pasta with Veggies is it! Plant based sausage is sliced thinly and then crisped up in a frying pan. The pasta is tossed with fresh pesto sauce and any vegetables you have on hand will perfect! Enjoy this healthy and filling vegetarian dinner on a busy weeknight when you want something delicious but don’t have a lot of time.
Ingredients
- 1 lb your favorite bite sized pasta, I used rotini
- 2–3 vegetarian sausage links, depending on how big they are
- 5–6 cups diced vegetables, I used a mixture of zucchini, red bell pepper, frozen peas and red onion
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups pesto sauce, homemade or store-bought
- 3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more if desired
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or more if desired
- 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- Fresh herbs for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Heat a large pot of water until boiling. Add in your pasta and cook according to package directions. Before draining, I like to reserve a little of the hot pasta water in case the pesto sauce needs to be thinned out. When pasta is finished cooking, drain and add back to the pot.
- I like to cook my pasta at the same time I’m cooking the sausage and veggies. If the pasta gets done first, add back to the pot and mix the pesto sauce in right away to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
- Remove the sausage from the casing, if needed, and slice into thin slices, about 1/4 of an inch thick. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add 2 teaspoons olive oil. Once pan is hot, add in the sliced sausage and cook until slices are browned and a little bit crispy, 5-7 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove sausage from the pan and set aside.
- Add 1-2 teaspoons olive oil back to the pan and then add in your diced vegetables, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Mix together and cook veggies until softened and all the water has cooked out, about 5-7 minutes. I like mine to be a little bit browned.
- To the cooked pasta, add in the pesto sauce (if you haven’t already done so) and mix together well. Thin sauce out with pasta water, if needed. Next, add in the crispy sausage and cooked vegetables. Mix everything together until completely combined and season with extra salt and black pepper, to taste. Garnish pasta with fresh herbs and enjoy!
Notes
Let me know if you have questions about what kind of vegetables to use!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Dinner, Vegetarian
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
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