This Sausage and Veggie Penne is a quick, satisfying weeknight dinner that comes together in about 30 minutes and serves four. It’s naturally gluten-free and adaptable — swap in any vegetables you have on hand and cook them in an order that preserves texture and maximizes flavor.
Enter to Win a Jovial Grain Free Cassava Pasta Prize Pack
I was thrilled when Jovial Foods introduced their new grain-free cassava pasta line — and even more pleased to discover they taste great. To celebrate the launch, Jovial and I teamed up for a giveaway: one winner will receive a box of each pasta shape. The contest is open to US and Canadian residents and closes August 23 at 11:59pm EST. To enter, follow @jovialfoods and @primal_gourmet on Instagram and tag a friend in the comments of the post for this Sausage and Veggie Penne.
What You Need for Sausage and Veggie Penne
Sausage:
This version uses crumbled mild Italian sausage so children can enjoy it, but use any sausage you prefer — spicy Italian, chicken, turkey, beef, or lamb all work. For cured or smoked options, slice sausages like chicken-and-apple Aidells before adding them to the pan. If you want heat, choose a spicy sausage, add red pepper flakes, or finish the dish with Calabrian chile oil.
Pasta:
I used Jovial Grain Free Cassava Penne. These cassava flour pastas have a pleasant texture close to traditional dried pastas and avoid the gritty mouthfeel found in many alternative-flour options. They’re made simply with cassava flour and water.
Veggies:
This recipe calls for shallot, garlic, zucchini, roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach — a combination that reads like summer on a plate. You can swap or add vegetables as you like; just be mindful of cooking order so every ingredient retains the right texture. For instance, add mushrooms after removing browned sausage so they can caramelize properly.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil:
The sauce is an aglio e olio base — olive oil and garlic — without tomatoes or wine. Some recipes add reserved pasta water to create a silky finish, but I skip it here because cassava pasta can make the water cloudy; the dish still has plenty of flavor without it.
Other Sausage Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup
- Whole30 Zuppa Toscana
- Shakshuka Merguez
- Caldo Verde
- Roasted Sausage and Romesco
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Sausage and Veggie Penne – Gluten-Free, Paleo
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus extra to taste
- 1 box Jovial Grain Free Cassava Penne
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 mild or spicy Italian sausage, around 6-ounces total, casings removed
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly smashed and peeled
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
- 1 medium roasted red pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
- Freshly-cracked black pepper
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- Calabrian chile oil, for serving (optional)
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with 1 tablespoon salt and add the pasta. Cook according to package instructions or until al dente, about 13 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.
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Meanwhile, heat a sauté pan over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the sausage and roughly crumble into bite-sized pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon and set aside.
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Reduce heat to medium. If needed, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened and slightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
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Add the roasted red pepper and sun-dried tomatoes, stirring and scraping any brown bits from the pan. Add the spinach and 1 tablespoon water, cover for 2 minutes to quickly wilt the greens, then uncover and stir until fully incorporated, about 1 minute.
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Return the cooked pasta and browned sausage to the pan and toss to combine and warm through. Stir in the basil. Serve immediately, finishing with Calabrian chile oil if desired.