Veggie-Loaded Orzo and Sausage

🥘 Ingredients

• bell pepper
  1 unit
• garlic
  2 cloves
• grape tomatoes
  2 c
• lemon juice
  1 tbsp
• olive oil
  2 tbsp
• orzo pasta
  1½ cups
• parmesan cheese
  2 tbsp
• parsley
  2 tbsp
• red onion
  1 unit
• sweet italian pork sausage
  12 oz
• zucchini
  1 unit

🍳 Cookware

• large pot
• large pan
• slotted spoon

1. 

   1

   Wash and dry all produce. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Finely chop parsley . Mince or grate garlic . Halve, peel, and finely chop red onion . Halve grape tomatoes . Halve zucchini lengthwise, then slice into quarter-inch-thick half-moons. Core and seed bell pepper , then thinly slice. Remove sweet italian pork sausage from casings.

   parsley: 2 tbsp, garlic: 2 cloves, red onion: 1 unit, grape tomatoes: 2 c, zucchini: 1 unit, bell pepper: 1 unit, sweet italian pork sausage: 12 oz
2. 

   2

   Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned ⏱️ 4 minutes . Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside, keeping as much grease in pan as possible.

   olive oil: 2 tbsp
3. 

   3

   Heat another drizzle of olive oil in same pan over medium heat. Add onion and zucchini. Cook, tossing, until softened ⏱️ 5 minutes . Season with salt and pepper.
4. 

   4

   Once water is boiling, add orzo pasta to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente ⏱️ 7 minutes . Carefully scoop out and reserve a quarter cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

   orzo pasta: 1½ cups
5. 

   5

   Add bell pepper and garlic to pan with zucchini. Cook, tossing, until bell pepper softens ⏱️ 2 minutes . Add tomatoes and cook, tossing, until warmed through ⏱️ 1 minute . Season with salt and pepper. Toss orzo and sausage into pan. Stir in half the parmesan cheese , lemon juice to taste, and a splash of pasta water. Add more water as needed to loosen. Season with salt and pepper.

   parmesan cheese: 2 tbsp, lemon juice: 1 tbsp
6. 

   6

   Divide orzo mixture between plates, then garnish with parsley and remaining parmesan cheese.