This pasta dish is rich and luxurious, with the taste and texture of garden fresh veggies plus spicy sausage––except there is no sausage! I didn’t start out to create a vegan dish, but it just evolved and my taste buds were definitely not disappointed.
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, center veins removed, diced into 3/4″ strips
- 1 small delicata squash, quartered, seeds removed, sliced into 1/8″ chunks
- 1/2 medium white onion, cut in half, sliced thinly
- 8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
- Fresh garden basil, several big leafy stalks, coarsely chopped
- Coarse salt to taste (1/2 tsp)
- Garlic powder to taste (1/2 tsp)
- EVOO, about 1 Tbsp
- 1 jar tomato basil pasta sauce (I used SMT or San Merican Tomato), 23.5 oz
- 1 pkg plant based Italian sausage links, 4 links, sliced on diagonal into 1/2″ chunks (I used No Evil Foods, The Stallion Italian ‘Sausage’)*
- 1 package spaghetti or other favorite pasta
* The ‘sausage’ is made from kidney beans, chickpea flour, vital wheat gluten, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, salt, spices, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
Instructions:
- Sauté onion in large sauce pan with EVOO on medium heat until onions are softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add mushrooms and continue sautéing until mixture looks lightly browned.
- Toss in squash, sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add kale and chopped basil, sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Add ‘sausage’ chunks, stirring into veggie mixture, cooking another 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle in salt and garlic powder, mix well.
- Add pasta sauce, reduce to low heat. Simmer 15-20 minutes (while boiling pasta).
- Add spaghetti or other pasta to boiling water, remove when al dente. Drain well.
- Serve spaghetti in bowl with generous portion of sauce, top with fresh basil sprig.
Pro tip: tastes better when eaten outside on a garden patio!
