Veggie-Loaded Orzo and Sausage

🥘 Ingredients

• Parmesan cheese (divided)
  ½ cup
• bell pepper
  2 unit
• garlic
  4 oz
• grape tomatoes
  8 oz
• lemon juice (to taste)
  4 pack
• olive oil
  4 tsp
• orzo pasta
  12 oz
• parsley
  ¼ ounce
• pepper
• red onion
  1 unit
• salt
• sweet Italian pork sausage
  18 oz
• zucchini
  2 unit

🍳 Cookware

• large pot
• large pan
• slotted spoon
• strainer

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 ¼-inch-thick half-moons. Core and seed bell pepper , then thinly slice. Remove sweet Italian pork sausage from casings.

   parsley: ¼ ounce, garlic: 4 oz, red onion: 1 unit, grape tomatoes: 8 oz, zucchini: 2 unit, bell pepper: 2 unit, sweet Italian pork sausage: 18 oz
2. 

   2

   Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside, keeping as much grease in pan as possible.

   olive oil: 4 tsp
3. 

   3

   Heat another drizzle of olive oil in same pan over medium heat. Add onion and zucchini. Cook, tossing, until softened, 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper .

   salt, pepper
4. 

   4

   Once water is boiling, add orzo pasta to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 7-9 minutes. Carefully scoop out and reserve ¼ cup pasta cooking water, then drain in a strainer .

   orzo pasta: 12 oz
5. 

   5

   Add bell pepper and garlic to pan with zucchini. Cook, tossing, until bell pepper softens, 2-4 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, tossing, until warmed through, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Toss orzo and sausage into pan. Stir in half the Parmesan cheese , lemon juice , and a splash of pasta water. Add more water as needed to loosen. Season with salt and pepper.

   Parmesan cheese: ½ cup (divided), lemon juice: 4 pack (to taste)
6. 

   6

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