This is one of my go-to recipes when the kids and I are craving for pasta but:
a) I’m too tired.
b) I’m feeling too lazy.
c) I don’t have any fancy-schmancy ingredients in the freezer/pantry.
d) All of the above.
This recipe so easy, you’ll find that the hardest part is actually boiling the pasta.
Quick & Easy Sausage Pasta
Ingredients:
– 1 pack of pasta (I prefer spaghetti for this recipe)
– garlic, crushed & chopped
– 1 tin of button mushrooms, drained & sliced thinly
– mixed herbs of choice
– 1 pack of sausages/hot dogs, sliced thinly into discs
– salt & black pepper
– olive oil
– knob of butter
Method:
1. Cook the pasta al dente. This is important. If you overcook it, it will turn to mush later as you try to mix it. Drain and set aside. Do NOT throw away the pasta water as we will need some of it later.
2. In a large non-stick pot with handle, pour in some oil olive and a knob of butter. Swish the oil and butter around to melt the butter over medium heat. The butter adds a nice flavour to the dish; it’s totally fine to omit it altogether.
3. Saute the garlic briefly in the oil/butter mixture. I deliberately did not specify how much garlic to put in because it all boils down to your personal preference. My family loves garlic, so I can use easily half a head of it for this recipe!
4. Add in the mushrooms and lower the fire. Sprinkle generously with herbs of your choice (I use mixed herbs, or oregano, or basil, or whatever I have on hand). Cook just long enough for the mushrooms to absorb the taste of the butter.
5. Add in the sliced sausages and stir around just to brown the sausages a bit.
6. Dump the cooked pasta into the pot and stir away. You might want to add some of the pasta water to make it easier to stir the pasta. Add olive oil as needed.
7. Season with salt and black pepper and continue stirring just long enough for the flavours to come together. (Remember, everything’s already been cooked, so there’s no need to cook it any further too long!)
8. Serve and enjoy. You’re welcome! ;)
A few quick notes:
– Linguini and angel hair will probably work with this recipe, also.
– Fresh mushrooms will surely taste better.
– If you’re doing Meatless Mondays, try making this with ONLY the mushrooms, omitting the sausages.
