Crispy Sausage Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato and Pesto

This easy sausage pasta dish combines the bright and bold flavours of fresh basil pesto with tangy sun-dried tomatoes into a delicious vegan dinner. It’s topped with moreish crispy golden sausage slices for a wholesome, filling and satisfying weeknight meal.

Making vegan pesto is easier than you think. Our version combines fresh basil leaves with a blend of nuts and nutritional yeast to mimic the nutty, umami flavour of parmesan cheese which is used in traditional pesto. After adding the ingredients to a blender cup you pulse it on and off for a minute or so until it is blended into a beautiful bright green sauce.

The crispy vegan sausage rounds can be a bit of an issue… they’re so delicious you won’t be able to stop yourself from eating them!

Quick links:

• The written recipe

• The video recipe

• Why you’ll love this recipe

• Recipe tips and tricks

• Other incredible recipes like this one

Why you’ll love this Crispy Sausage Pasta

Full of flavour. Homemade basil pesto is deliciously fresh and flavoursome (not to mention a wonderful colour!). It pairs beautifully with the tangy sun-dried tomatoes which cut through the aromatic and creamy flavour of the basil pesto sauce.

Wholesome, filling and nutritious. The pesto sauce is a blend of wholesome ingredients, stirred together with cooked pasta and sun-dried tomatoes and topped with vegan sausage rounds fried in olive oil until crispy. You can select whichever vegan sausage you like.

Family friendly. Pesto pasta is a firm dinner favourite with many children and the crispy sausage slices are bound to be a hit. The sun-dried tomatoes can be sprinkled on the adult’s dishes and left off of the kid’s if they aren’t keen.

Top tips

1. Toast your pine nuts: Be sure to use toasted pine nuts to bring out their flavour – either buy them pre-toasted or dry fry them (without oil) for around 10 minutes in a non-stick frying until they are golden.

2. Pulse don’t blend: When you’re blending the pesto make sure not to over-blend, use short pulses until the ingredients are combined. Over-blending pesto can cause it to develop a bitter flavour.

3. Cover the pesto if storing: Try to make the pesto fresh just before serving but if you do need to store it for a little while then pop it in a Tupperware dish, cover it in cling film (with the film touching the top of the pesto) and add an airtight lid. Store it in the fridge. This will prevent the pesto from losing its vibrant green colour.

4. Keep your sausage slices thick: Cut your sausage slices into thick slices (around 1cm thick) before frying on each side. This will give you a sausage round that is crispy on each side but still moist on the inside.

5. Serving suggestion: To enjoy this amazing sausage pasta recipe in its creamiest and sauciest form, serve it freshly cooked. ****Garnish with fresh basil leaves and vegan parmesan (try our 2 Minute Vegan Parmesan, made from all natural ingredients).

The Video Recipe:

The Crispy Sausage Pasta with Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Recipe:

Crispy Sausage Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato and Pesto

This easy sausage pasta dish combines the bright and bold flavours of fresh basil pesto with tangy sun-dried tomatoes into a delicious vegan dinner. It’s topped with moreish crispy golden sausage slices for a wholesome, filling and satisfying weeknight meal.

5 from 5 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Serves: 2

Calories: 1382kcal

Author: Tara

Ingredients

 

MetricUS

 

1x2x3x

For the pesto:

• ▢ 40 g pine nuts (toasted)
• ▢ 60 g fresh basil leaves
• ▢ 30 g cashew nuts
• ▢ 15 g flaked almonds
• ▢ 7 g nutritional yeast
• ▢ 50 ml olive oil
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• ▢ ½ tsp salt
• ▢ ⅛ tsp ground black pepper

Other ingredients:

• ▢ 150 g fusilli or penne pasta (dry weight)
• ▢ 75 g sun dried tomatoes (drained weight if in oil, diced)
• ▢ 4 sausages (cut into 1cm thick slices)
• ▢ Olive oil for frying
• ▢ Optional: Fresh basil leaves and vegan parmesan for topping

Equipment

• High Speed Cup Blender
• Non-Stick Frying Pan

Instructions

 

• If your pine nuts are not already toasted then add them to a dry (no oil) non-stick frying pan. Fry them over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden - around 10 minutes.
• Add all of the pesto ingredients to a food processor and pulse until combined, scraping down the sides as necessary.
  40 g pine nuts, 60 g fresh basil leaves, 30 g cashew nuts, 15 g flaked almonds, 7 g nutritional yeast, 50 ml olive oil, 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• To store the pesto, add it to an airtight container and cover it in eco cling film (with the film touching the top of the pesto) and then add an airtight lid. Store it in the fridge.
• Add the dried pasta to a pan of boiling water and simmer until al dente (around 10 minutes for regular/not gluten free pasta).
  150 g fusilli or penne pasta
• Whilst the pasta is cooking, cut the sausages into 1cm thick slices and fry them in olive oil for 5 mins on each side until they are golden and crispy and cooked through.
  4 sausages, Olive oil for frying
• Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water from the pan and add the pesto and sun dried tomatoes along with a tbsp of water. Stir through over a low heat until everything is warmed through.
  75 g sun dried tomatoes
• Serve the pasta immediately topped with the crispy sausage slices, fresh basil leaves and vegan parmesan.
  Optional: Fresh basil leaves and vegan parmesan for topping

Video

Notes

Vegan / Dairy Free / Egg Free

Recipe inspired by:  Italy

Please check the allergens on the ingredients you purchase before use. The allergen information provided in this recipe is intended as a guide only and is based on the specific ingredients and brands used at the time of creating the recipe, therefore we cannot guarantee that the same will apply to the ingredients you use.

Prep time excludes any inactive time.

We highly recommend you use the metric and 1x options on this recipe card for the best results. Please note that this recipe has not been tested using US measurements or increasing ingredient quantities to 2x or 3x, therefore results may vary.

Nutrition

Calories: 1382kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 95g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Sodium: 1720mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 18g | Net Carbohydrates: 79g

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