Weeknights are busy, busy, busy. As my kids get older, the more intense their schedules get and the title of chauffeur has been permanently added to my resume. I secretly imagine them being able to hire an Uber or Lyft car to pick them up and drive them around….not that we will ever have that option out here in the country…but still, wouldn’t that be awesome?
It’s hard to keep up with basketball practice, speech and debate practice, tournaments and tennis meets, appointments, meetings, clubs, homework…yikes, it’s never-ending. And some have told us we’re just getting started. Really? This is why a handful of quick, easy and flavorful meals everyone will eat are a must.
My family loves a good pasta or spaghetti dinner, but many versions of my red sauce take all day to cook or require lots of ingredients. However, my quick weeknight version takes advantage of all the flavors found in Johnsonville’s Mild Ground Italian Sausage. It makes putting a meal together so much simpler.
Using Italian sausage is an easy way to make a flavorful sauce when you only have 30 minutes to get dinner on the table. The kid’s love that it is not over-the-top spicy and my husband and I love the taste too.
The sauce is rich, thick and tastes like you’ve been cooking all day.
Weeknight Italian Sausage Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 3/4 lbs dried pasta or spaghetti
- 1 lb Johnsonville Ground Italian Sausage
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 4 cups your favorite prepared marinara sauce
- 2 Tablespoons pizza seasoning (preferred) or Italian seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons freeze-dried basil
- 1 Tablespoon freeze-dried garlic or fresh, crushed garlic
- finely shredded Parmesan
- red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions
- Start water to boil for pasta and cook according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat, begin browning sausage. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until sausage and mushrooms are cooked through. Add marinara, pizza seasoning, basil and garlic. Heat through (stirring) and simmer for about 15 minutes on very low heat.
- Pour sauce over drained and cooked pasta noodles and serve immediately. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes if you like.
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