Pasta with Sausage and Vegetables

This recipe is one of the Mac family favorites, because it's easy, is made in one large skillet, and can feed a ton of people. And as with most of our recipes, use what you like! For example, to make Pasta with Sausage and Vegetables vegan, just leave out the sausage and put some olive oil in the pan to cook the onions and garlic. Use the pasta you like best or whatever's in the pantry. You can't go wrong with a big one-skillet meal!

---

Ingredients

• 1 very large deep skillet or heavy bottomed Dutch oven
• 1 lb loose Italian sausage – hot or sweet
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 c bell peppers, in 1 inch chunks – mix colors
• ½ to 1 c sliced mushrooms – fresh or canned
• 1 c grape tomatoes, whole (or 2 large Roma tomatoes, diced)
• Spinach, stems removed – as much as you like (I use around 4 cups)
• Olive oil
• 1 tsp dried basil or ½ c chopped fresh basil leaves
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• Freshly grated Romano cheese
• 1 pound pasta, your choice – I have made it with potato gnocchi, mini penne, spaghetti, small cheese ravioli, and orzo, use what you have/like
  

Optional: you can also add all of these or whichever ones you have/like

• 1 lb asparagus, cleaned and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
• 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 small eggplant, peeled and diced
• 1 small zucchini, diced

Directions

• Cook pasta according to box directions. Drain and reserve ½ c pasta water, set pasta and water aside
  
• Start the sausage cooking in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up into bite sized pieces as it cooks
• When sausage is about half done, add the onions and garlic. Stir
• When the onions begin to soften, add the peppers. Stir
• If you want to add any of the optional ingredients, add them now. Stir mixture often enough to ensure everything is cooking
• Cook for about 10 minutes, then add the mushrooms and tomatoes
• Stir and cook until everything is tender
• Lower heat. Spread spinach on top, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and basil, drizzle with a little olive oil
• Place a lid on the skillet to wilt the spinach
• Once the spinach has wilted, mix everything really well
• Add the reserved pasta water and stir
• Add cooked pasta and carefully fold in
• Turn off heat, cover skillet and allow the pasta to absorb the juices for about 10 minutes
• Sprinkle with freshly grated Romano cheese
• Serve with a nice loaf of Italian bread and butter or garlic bread

---