Ziti with Andouille Sausage
This one pot wonder of Ziti with Andouille Sausage is a wonderful ziti pasta dinner packed with delicious andouille sausages and mushrooms, and it's prepared in one pot and cooked on the stovetop!
Servings: 6 Serves
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces low sodium andouille sausage sliced into 1/2-inch coins
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms cremini or baby bella work great
- 1 small yellow onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup low fat 2% evaporated milk
- 1 pound ziti pasta you can also use whole wheat or gluten-free ziti pasta
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan or nonstick skillet.
- Add sliced sausages, mushrooms, onion, and garlic; season with thyme, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender.
- Stir in the water, chicken broth, and evaporated milk, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the pasta. Continue to cook for 10 minutes, or until pasta is done, stirring every 1-2 minutes to keep the pasta from clumping together.
- Add in the parmesan cheese and stir until well incorporated and you have a smooth sauce. Remove from heat and the sauce will thicken as it stands.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of parmesan, and serve.
Notes
- Healthier Choices: Andouille sausage is high in sodium, but you can look for lite, low-sodium chicken or turkey andouille sausage. Also, you can use gluten-free or whole wheat ziti pasta.
- Pasta Cooking: Pasta can get too soft if overcooked. Ensure you're cooking the ziti until it's just al dente. Since the pasta continues to cook a bit in the hot sauce, this helps prevent it from getting mushy.
- Evaporated Milk: This is a great, lower-fat alternative to cream. However, if you want a richer dish, you can use half-and-half or full cream.
- Thickening The Sauce: If you want a thicker sauce, at the end of cooking the pasta, spoon 1 tablespoon of the evaporated milk sauce into a mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoon cornstarch; whisk until thoroughly combined and stir it all back into the skillet; continue to cook and stir for about 1 minute.
- Cheese Variety: While Parmesan is classic, consider a blend of cheeses like finely shredded mozzarella or provolone for a more melty consistency.
Nutrition
Calories: 584kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 694mg | Potassium: 573mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 169IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 193mg | Iron: 2mg
