Zucchini and Chicken Sausage Baked Pasta

This zucchini and chicken sausage baked pasta is simple to assemble, tastes amazing, and can be made in advance for a quick and easy dinner.  

If you have a garden, chance are that you will be bursting with zucchini in the fall.  I can’t believe the size of zucchinis I have picked from my Mom’s garden!  Zucchini is so versatile you can use it in so many ways, including sneaking it into chocolate cake for added moisture and hidden nutrients.  When I got this giant zucchini from the farmer’s market last week I decided to play around with it.  I knew this recipe was a hit when my kids asked for seconds!  If you are shying away from gluten, you can easily eliminate the noodles in the recipe and double up on the zucchini and roasted peppers.  

You will need: 2½ cups penne pasta (ziti also works well), 3 cups sliced zucchini or Italian squash (or both!), 1½ cups pasta sauce, 1 cup ricotta cheese, ½ medium sized yellow onion, 2-3 chicken sausage links (any kielbasa type sausage will do), ½ cup diced roasted red peppers, ½ cup grated Manchengo cheese, (manchengo is a delicious mild sheep’s milk from Spain, you can substitute with Parmesan if preferred.) and 5-6 fresh basil leaves.  

Additional ingredients: 1 T. olive oil, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 T. Italian seasoning, and 2 T pesto (optional).

Step 1– In a stock pot add 8 quarts of water, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp olive oil.  Bring to a boil, add pasta and cook until al dente, drain and set aside.

Step 2- While pasta is cooking, chop zucchini, roasted red pepper, onion, and chicken sausage.

 Step 3- In a large frying skillet add  1 T of olive oil and cook onions over medium-high heat until soft (3-4 minutes). 

Step 4- Add the sausage, zucchini, and red pepper to the skillet and stir until zucchini is soft.  When stirring, use a flipping motion to avoid smashing the zucchini into pieces.  Sprinkle the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning during this step.

 Step 5- Toss 1½ cups pasta sauce over the cooked penne pasta, (optional: add 2 T. pesto to the pasta and sauce as well) Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  In a lasagna-type fashion layer the penne on the bottom of the dish, spoon the ricotta cheese over the top and gently spread until evenly coated, then spread the skillet mixture over the top.  

 Step 6- Grate about 1/2 cup of the Manchengo cheese on top. Ever heard the saying “with a cherry on top”, I could get behind changing that saying to “the cheese on top” since cheese is most definitely better than a cherry! 

Yummy cheesy sure to please-y!

Step 7- Cover the pasta with aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it.  Bake at 375° for 15 mins, remove foil and increase heat to 400°.  Cook at 400° for additional 5 minutes.  Toss with chopped fresh basil and serve hot. 

Chow and Ciao foodie friends!  

Print Recipe

Zucchini and chicken sausage baked pasta

This Zucchini and chicken sausage baked pasta is simple to assemble, tastes amazing, and can be made in advance for a quick and easy dinner.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time50 mins

Servings: 6

Author: Cindee

Ingredients

• 2½ cups penne pasta ziti also works well
• 3 cups sliced zucchini or Italian squash or both!
• 1½ cups pasta sauce
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• ½ medium sized yellow onion
• 2-3 chicken sausage links any kielbasa type sausage will do
• ½ cup diced roasted red peppers
• ½ cup grated Manchengo cheese manchengo is a delicious mild sheep's milk from Spain, you can substitute with parmesan if needed
• 5-6 fresh basil leaves
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 2 T pesto optional

Instructions

• In a stock pot add 8 quarts of water, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp olive oil. Bring to a boil, add pasta and cook until al dente, drain, and set aside.
• While pasta is cooking, chop zucchini, roasted red pepper, onion, and chicken sausage.
• In a large frying skillet add a T of olive and cook onions over medium-high heat until soft (3-4 minutes).
• Add the sausage, zucchini, and red pepper to the skillet and stir until zucchini is soft. When stirring, use a flipping motion to avoid smashing the zucchini into pieces. Sprinkle the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning during this step.
• Toss 1½ cups pasta sauce over the cooked penne pasta, (optional: add 2 T. pesto to the pasta and sauce as well) Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a lasagna-type fashion layer the penne on the bottom of the dish, spoon the ricotta cheese over the top and gently spread until evenly coated, then spread the skillet mixture over the top.
• Grate about 1/2 cup of the Manchengo cheese on top.
• Cover the pasta with aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake it. Bake at 375° for 15 mins, remove foil and increase heat to 400°. Cook at 400° for additional 5 minutes.
• Toss with chopped fresh basil and serve hot.