Easy Zucchini, Sausage and Peppers Stove Top Casserole

Easy Zucchini, Sausage and Peppers Stove Top Casserole ~ a hearty homestyle casserole you make on the stove top so it's even great for warm weather eating.

Let's face it, when the hot and humid weather hits no one wants to turn on the oven in their house even if they do have air conditioning. However you still have hungry mouths to feed and the family isn't always going to be satisfied eating lighter summer meals; I know because I have a meat and potatoes loving husband. While I could exist in the hot weather on fruit and salads he still wants a hearty dinner after a long day of either carpentry work or painting.
Further, to make two separate meals for us isn't practical or feasible given our food budget so I tend to mix it up a bit in the summer. Some days, in August especially, we might just have fresh corn on the cob, cucumber and tomato slices for dinner.

This Easy Zucchini, Sausage and Peppers Stove Top Casserole made with garden fresh zucchini, green bell peppers and our own garden tomato sauce we canned at the end of last season with a bit of sausage added to please the meat and taters guy, came together beautifully with the tri-colored tortellini pasta. It's very easy to make and comes together in around 30 minutes or so, making it another great weeknight meal for families.

I love the tri-colored pasta mix as it is made with dried tomatoes and spinach and regular semolina flour. That being said if you are a vegetarian all you do obviously is leave out the sausage and you too can enjoy this delicious meal. If you don't can your own sauce and want a recommendation for a jar sauce I have one for you. A while back I did a post for Sausage Involtini's using Ragu's new homestyle pasta sauce.That sauce is GOOD. It's a great substitute for homemade.
  • 3-4 Italian sausage links (I used sweet)
  • 1 lrg. green bell pepper - stem, seeds and veins removed
  • 1/3 box tri-colored tortellini pasta 
  • 2 medium zucchini - sliced
  • 2 cups red pasta sauce
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • salt, black pepper and granulated garlic - all to taste
  1. It helps to have your sausage nice and cold so it slices easier. I put mine in the freezer for 20 minutes before slicing it into bite sized pieces.
  2. Prep the bell pepper by removing the stem, seeds and veins then cut it into bite sized chunks.
  3. Remove the ends of the zucchini and cut into 3/4 inch slices.
  4. Cook your pasta according to box directions to el dente and be sure to salt the water. Set aside.
  5. In a large skillet that has a lid and over medium high heat add the olive oil and sausage pieces. Cook and toss around until they start to get a bit brown. Takes about 2-3 minutes.
  6. Then add in the zucchini and pepper along with the seasonings to taste. (Salt, black pepper and granulated garlic.) Stir. Turn the heat down to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  7. Next, add in the sauce, stir well to combine and cook for 18-20 minutes.
  8. Last add in the pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes more and you'll be ready to serve.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30-33 minutes
Serves: 6
Cost: approximately $6.38 serving 6 for $1.06 each


If you have zucchini's up the yin, yang this is another great way to use them for dinners. I also have another recipe, Italian Zucchini Fritters which we loved. The centers are creamy while the outside is crispy and you serve them with marinara sauce. Since I have a plethora of zucchini coming in I have been tasked to create recipes to use it. We give a lot away as well but we still have many and they are still coming!



Comments

Popular Posts

Popular Posts