Zucchini pasta sauce
Fresh flavor & thick texture make this vegetable-laden pasta sauce delicious. Follow the whole recipe to make sauce + mix-ins, or just make the sauce and add your own protein.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the roasting pan
- 800 g (28 oz) zucchini
- 150 g onion about 1 medium
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp fennel seed
- 1 tsp capers drained
To add after roasting
- 120 ml (½ cup) vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 30 g (6 tbsp) Parmesan cheese
- 15 g (½ oz) basil
Mix-ins & pasta
- 350 g (12.3 oz) bulk sausage
- 5 tbsp pine nuts
- Handful cherry tomatoes
- 320 g (11.3 oz) dry pasta cooked, such as rotini, shells, or casarecce
Instructions
- Roast the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 210 °C, convection mode. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then cut each half widthwise into four pieces. Slice the onion about 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick. Mix all of the ingredients "for the roasting pan" together in a bowl. Transfer to a large baking dish, and roast in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Make the mix-ins: Place the bulk sausage on a small baking sheet or in small baking dish. Shape into a mound about 3 cm (1 inch) high. Bake the sausage on a rack below the vegetables for 20-25 minutes, or until no longer pink. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Place the pine nuts in a small baking dish. Toast in the oven for 3-4 minutes, until golden.
- Slice the cherry tomatoes.
- Finish making the sauce: Once the vegetables have finished roasting, let cool slightly, then transfer to a food processor. Add the ingredients “to add after roasting,” except for the basil. Blend until mostly smooth. Add the basil, and blend for another few seconds until blended in.
- To serve, mix the zucchini sauce with the pasta, chopped sausage, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.
Notes
Feel free to customize the mix-ins to your preferences, or just make the sauce!