Chicken Sausage and Broccoli Pesto Pasta

Yield:
8 servings

Preparation Time:
10 min; Cook: 20 min

Low Cholesterol, Less Sodium, Heart Healthy, Fiber Rich

Ingredients:

  1. 14 ounces fresh Italian chicken sausages, casings removed
  2. 12 ounces uncooked brown rice or whole wheat pasta
  3. 2 heads broccoli, stems removed and chopped, about 6 1/2 cups
  4. 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  5. 5 cloves garlic, minced
  6. 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  7. 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  8. 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about half 1 lemon)
  9. sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and broccoli. Cook according to package directions. When pasta is almost done cooking, reserve one cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta and broccoli.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown sausage, crumbling with the back of a spoon as it cooks. Remove from heat.

Return pasta pot back to stove and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook garlic for about 1 minute and then add the sausage and pasta/broccoli mixture back into the pot. Mix well. Add cheese, tomatoes, lemon juice, and remaining olive oil. Mix together, mashing any large chunks of broccoli. Add in small amounts of reserved pasta water until it reaches desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Photo and food styling by Webstop


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