Pasta with Summer Squash, Sausage and Pesto

I pulled this pasta together one night when I had leftover sausage and summer squash in the fridge and a daughter eager to help out in the kitchenthe pesto came about as much as an activity for her as an element of the dish. We went to the garden together to pick the basil, and Noemi pounded the pesto together in our mortar and pestle. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, use a blender, and add warm water by the tablespoon as needed to blend.

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces whole grain pasta
  • 2 chicken sausages, cooked and thinly sliced
  • 1 recipe "Melted" Summer Squash
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • sea salt, to taste
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1 cup basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Instructions

  • Put a large pot of salted water on to boil, and start pasta.
  • While pasta is cooking, heat sausage and squash in a large, covered saute pan over medium heat.
  • Pound garlic to a paste in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of sea salt. Add walnuts, and continue to pound. Add a handful of basil leaves, and pound to a paste. Add another handful, and pound that to a paste. Whisk in olive oil and vinegar. (Alternatively, you could just blend all the pesto ingredients in a food processor—but it’s not as fun.)
  • Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water, and return pasta to pot. Toss squash and sausage with pasta. Whisk pasta water into pesto, and add to pot. Toss for 2 minutes to thoroughly coat.
Servings: 4
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How to Plan, Prep, and Cook Easy Weeknight Meals (without spending hours in the kitchen)

3 steps to making simple, nourishing meals possible night after night so you spend less, enjoy more, and have time and energy to live a richer, more delicious life.

Picture of Hey there ... I'm Lia Huber

Hey there ... I'm Lia Huber

My mission is to inspire and equip you to live a richer life through real food by becoming a more competent, confident home cook.


I’m the author of Nourished: A Memoir of Food, Faith, and Enduring Love, founder and CEO of Nourish Evolution, and the creator of Cook the Seasons, Home Cooking School, and the Real Food Reset, and I empower intentional women to cook in a way that brings them (and their families) joy, health, and ease.

Making the shift from processed food to real food doesn’t happen overnight. It’s an evolution that occurs over time, with effort, intention, and belief. And it will change the course of your life. Are you ready to take the first step? I’m so glad you’re here … and I’m honored to be with you on the journey to becoming nourished!

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