One Pan Dinners · Pasta
Pasta with Sausage and Peas {30 Minute Recipe}
When one of my personal chef clients requested a pasta dish without marinara sauce and not creamy, this Pasta with Sausage and Peas is the one I developed. It's a lightened up sausage and pasta recipe that's not weighted down with lots…
- Prep5 minutes
- Cook25 minutes
- Total30 minutes
- Serves6
- Calories694 kcal
When one of my personal chef clients requested a pasta dish without marinara sauce and not creamy, this Pasta with Sausage and Peas is the one I developed. It's a lightened up sausage and pasta recipe that's not weighted down with lots of cheese. Packed with loads of delicious flavor, the whole family will love this easy pasta with peas recipe that's ready 30 minutes.
"What a delicious meal this was! I love how simple and quick it was to make." ~ AnnaRecipe review
The challenge was real. And I am always up for a challenge. Just as long as the task involves cooking. It was not unlike my daunting homework assignment in 8th grade Home Economics. Prepare a dinner for 4 using $4.25 worth of ground beef, potatoes, and ketchup. What?! Fortunately, my latest mission was not so ingredient and cost restrictive.
The request came from one of my longstanding personal chef clients. "Can you make a super delicious pasta dish that doesn't have a tomato sauce and isn't creamy? Also, it's one that my kids will love as well as my husband and I?"
"I'm up for the challenge." I responded.
I immediately started racking my brain for the perfect pasta recipe. Unlike my Creamy Tomato Pasta or Stuffed Shells, this sausage and pea pasta with no cream checks checked all the boxes of my client's pasta wishes.
Shell pasta is tossed in a light chicken stock based sauce with smoky caramelized onions, Italian sausage and sweet green peas. Parmesan cheese adds lots of rich flavor without making the sauce creamy. This pasta and peas recipe is a winner!
Ingredients for sausage and peas pasta
My take on the traditional pasta and peas recipe (aka pasta e piselli) is super charged with many flavorful ingredients. For complete ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card below.
- shell pasta
- extra virgin olive oil
- onion
- garlic
- sweet Italian sausage
- white wine
- reduced sodium chicken stock
- frozen peas
- Parmesan cheese
- salted butter
- fresh parsley and lemon juice
Substitutions
- Whimsical shell pasta is perfect for catching the little green peas. But substitute your favorite pasta shape in the recipe.
- Do you like to kick your recipes up a notch? Pick up spicy Italian sausage to a fiery edge to your pasta and peas.
- Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc are my top choices for which wine to use.
- Not a fan of wine? No problem. Use all chicken broth in the sauce.
How to make pasta with peas and sausage
Even on the busiest of days, this pasta and peas recipe is totally doable. As the shells cook, the sauce is made. Dinner is on the table in about 30 minutes.
Start by cooking the pasta. While it is cooking make the easy sauce. It really is simple. Sauté onions until just barely caramelized. Then add garlic and bite sized pieces of sweet Italian sausage and cook until nice and crispy brown.
The simmered sauce is super silky and rich from buttery Chardonnay, chicken broth and Parmesan cheese. Toss in a bag of frozen peas. They are one of my go to easy and tasty veggies to add a pop of bright green to pasta dishes.
Stir in a knob of butter then the cooked pasta. The sauce just so velvety that it coats each and every pasta shell. Add a big squeeze of lemon juice to brighten everything up.
Sprinkle the whole pan of pasta and peas with fresh parsley and shaved Parmesan cheese. I use a peeler to slice shards of cheese off a big wedge.
This is perfect for those nights when you want a delicious dinner in no time at all.
top tip
Use a peeler to slice shards off a wedge of Parmesan. A touch that makes sausage and pea pasta look restaurant worthy.
Storage
Any leftovers can be stored in an air tight container (these glass storage ones are what I use) for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. I love reheating some delish pasta for a quick lunch or dinner as it's a no brainer after a busy day. Reheat in the microwave on 60% power for 2 minutes.
Pasta with Sausage and Peas {30 Minute Recipe}
This pasta and peas dish with Italian sausage is packed with lots of delicious flavor and is one the whole family will love.
Ingredients
- 1 pound shell pasta
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion (sliced, about 2 cups)
- 4 garlic cloves (chopped)
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
- ½ cup white wine
- 2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
- 1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese (divided)
- 10 ounces frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- juice of ½ lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
-
1
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
-
2
While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. In a large sauté pan over medium heat add the extra virgin olive oil. Add the sliced onions and sauté for about 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
-
3
Remove the Italian sausage from the casing and add it to the sauté pan. Break the sausage into bite sized pieces with a wooden spatula. Cook the sausage until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes.
-
4
Add the white wine to the sauté pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
-
5
Add the chicken stock to the sauté pan. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. The liquid should reduce by about one-third.
-
6
Add 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese to the sauce and stir to combine.
-
7
Add the peas and butter to the sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until the peas are heated and the butter has melted.
-
8
Add the cooked pasta and stir to thoroughly combine it with the sauce.
-
9
Add the lemon juice and stir to combine.
-
10
Serve sprinkled with the parsley and more Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Whimsical shell pasta is perfect for catching the little green peas. But substitute your favorite pasta shape in the recipe.
- Do you like to kick your recipes up a notch? Pick up spicy Italian sausage to a fiery edge to your pasta and peas.
- Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc are my top choices for which wine to use.
- Not a fan of wine? No problem. Use all chicken broth in the sauce.
- Use a peeler to slice shards off a wedge of Parmesan.
- Any leftovers can be stored in an air tight container (these glass storage ones are what I use) for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. I love reheating some delish pasta for a quick lunch or dinner as it's a no brainer after a busy day. Reheat in the microwave on 60% power for 2 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving1 /6 of recipe
- Calories694 kcal
- Carbohydrates53.5 g
- Protein34 g
- Fat36.9 g
- Saturated Fat13.6 g
- Cholesterol146 mg
- Sodium1010 mg
- Fiber3.5 g
- Sugar3.7 g
