Sausage and Pepper Skillet

A robust Italian-inspired skillet meal featuring savory chicken sausage, vibrant bell peppers, and onion in a rich tomato sauce, tossed with rotini pasta and served with a fresh Caesar salad.

• Prep: 10 min
• Cook: 15 min
• Total: 25 min
• Servings: 4
• Cuisine: Italian
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $4.40/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• comfort food
• quick
• savory

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean chicken or turkey sausage (pre-cooked, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 green bell pepper (large, thinly sliced)
• 1 red bell pepper (large, thinly sliced)
• 1 yellow onion (medium, thinly sliced)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 ounce rotini pasta
• 1 package Caesar salad kit (light dressing variety if possible)

Instructions

1. If using regular pasta, cook rotini pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain well. If using quick-cook pasta, proceed with skillet steps, then cook pasta when instructed.
2. While pasta cooks (or immediately if using quick-cook), heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced lean chicken or turkey sausage and cook for 3-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly browned and heated through. Remove sausage from skillet and set aside.
3. Add the sliced green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and yellow onion to the same skillet. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender-crisp.
4. Stir in the minced garlic and dried oregano, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Pour in the canned diced tomatoes (undrained). Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
6. Return the cooked sausage to the skillet. If using quick-cook pasta, start cooking it now. Stir the sausage into the tomato and pepper mixture. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
7. Add the cooked rotini pasta to the skillet, tossing gently to combine with the sausage and pepper sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes until heated through.
8. Prepare the Caesar salad kit according to package directions.
9. Serve the Sausage and Pepper Skillet immediately alongside the Caesar salad.

Notes

Choosing a pre-cooked chicken or turkey sausage greatly reduces overall cooking time. If you prefer, a robust marinara sauce can be substituted for the diced tomatoes, just check the sodium content.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 520
• Protein: 29 g
• Carbohydrates: 49 g
• Fat: 14 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Sodium: 800 mg
• Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
• Sugar: 8 g
• Cholesterol: 60 mg