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I love simple plates of pasta like this Chicken Sausage Pasta for any time of the year. This pasta is filled with not only chicken sausage but zucchini, onion, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts. A perfect spring combination of flavors.

What to serve with this simple pasta dish? Try our Air Fryer Easy Garlic Bread, Everyday Garden Salad, or our Easy Caprese Salad Recipe. All of these recipes are easy to get on the table, along with this gorgeous pasta.

Bowlful of Chicken Sausage Pasta taken from overhead with the pan in the background.

Looking for a Healthy Easy Dinner?

Horizontal picture of spaghetti with chicken sausage and zucchini.

Look no further than this deliciously simple meal. To keep the calories and fat down, we love using chicken sausage, and to keep on budget, a little goes a long way with a simple pasta like this one. Find pine nuts to be not in the budget. Then add in any nuts or simply omit and garnish with a bit more fresh parsley.

Helpful Items For This Recipe

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Stainless Steel Skillet Saute Pan, 5 Quart, Tri-ply Nonstick

2 Pieces Spaghetti Spoon and Pasta Tong, Non-stick

Pasta Bowls 30oz, Set of 6

What is in Chicken Sausage Pasta?

These are simple ingredients, even pine nuts now are available everywhere, but I know they are expensive, so I have given alternatives below also.

Ingredients

Spaghetti noodles – I prefer spaghetti in this dish, but you can use other pasta like penne, linguini, fettuccine, etc.

Olive oil, divided – I always use good quality olive oil in my pasta. You can finish with an olive oil, too, for a bit of extra flavor at the end.

Chicken sausage or Italian sausage, cut in rings – You can use any flavor of chicken sausage that is available, or that is your favorite.

Chopped zucchini – If you have a garden and grow zucchini, you are always looking for great recipes to use it in. I love this vegetable all year round but even more so in the spring and summer months.

Small white onion, peeled and minced – I like a white or sweet white onion in this recipe, but a yellow onion would work too.

Garlic cloves, minced – Garlic is always the flavor booster for so many meals.

Parsley – Fresh parsley is great to liven up the flavor of a dish, plus adds a lovely green color to dishes.

Sea salt – You also can use Kosher salt or reduce the amount and use table salt.

Ground black pepper – Freshly ground is always the best.

Grated Parmesan cheese – Always make freshly grated Parmesan; don’t buy the store-bought pre-grated cheese. There is a big difference in flavor and how it melts.

Garnish

Toasted pine nuts – You can use other nuts such as walnuts, almonds, pecans, or even peanuts in place of pine nuts or omit them altogether. You can finish with more parsley, too, if desired.

How to Make Chicken and Sausage Pasta

This easy pasta is on the table in well under 30 minutes. Even adding in a simple side dish won’t add much time to the meal.

Zuchini, onions and garlic added to the pan.

Bring a large pot to boil with salted water. Boil the spaghetti as instructed on the package. Keep ½ cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, on medium heat, add the olive oil into a large pan. Then add the sausage and cook for 1 minute by stirring occasionally (It’s ok if they break). Now add zucchini, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring all together. Cook until the zucchini is soft. About 2 minutes.

Add pasta, parsley, salt, pepper, and oil. Stir together. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and add the pasta water. Stir to get a creamy sauce.

Sprinkle it with pine nuts and serve.

Chicken Sausage Pasta in a pan shot from overhead.

Recipe Pro Tips!

Sometimes the simplest recipe can be the best. Here are some tips to make this recipe a classic that you will want to make again and again.

Always use great ingredients that are fresh and wonderful in their own right.
You can slice the sausage as shown or squeeze it from its casing and crumble it when frying.
Cook the pasta until just before al dente, like a minute or two. Finish cooking the pasta in the pan.
Always toast your nuts before adding them to a recipe to get the best flavor you can.
Don’t like zucchini? No problem, add the vegetables you do like. Examples are mushrooms, peppers (roasted or raw), tomatoes, yellow squash, baby spinach, and kale.
This meal can be dairy free if you hold the Parmesan cheese.
Fresh basil can be used in place of the parsley.
Lastly, you can add a little kick of heat with some red pepper flakes if desired.

Sticking a fork into a sausage pasta in a white bowl.

WANT MORE EASY PASTA RECIPES?

There is nothing more satisfying in my mind than a simple pasta that can be pulled together fast and on the table for everyone to enjoy in no time flat. Here are a few of our absolute favorites.

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Pin it HERE!!