Skillet Suppers
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[Photographs: Yasmin Fahr]

This is a pretty basic recipe that can be manipulated to keep with the seasons, swapping out squash for another quick-cooking vegetable and using other greens like chard or broccoli rabe as alternatives to spinach.

About the Author: Yasmin Fahr is a food lover, writer, and cook. Follow her @yasminfahr for more updates on her eating adventures and discoveries, which will most likely include tomatoes. And probably feta. Happy eating!

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About This Recipe

Yield: Serves 4
Active time: 25 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 links Italian sausage (a little more than ½ pound)
  • 2 ½ cups yellow squash, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 large)
  • 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Pinch of dried red chili flakes
  • 1 (28-oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 cup homemade chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 cups fusilli or ziti
  • 2 ½ cups baby spinach
  • Grated Parmesan, for garnish
  • Fresh mint, roughly chopped, for garnish

Procedures

  1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook until it just starts to brown, about 2 minutes, then add the squash and finishing cooking until the sausage is no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

  2. In the same skillet, making sure that only 1 ½ tablespoons of liquid is in the pan (adding more oil if necessary or draining out the excess fat), lower the heat to medium and add the shallot, a pinch of salt, and the chili flakes and cook until the shallots soften, about 2 minutes.

  3. Add the tomatoes and the broth, gently breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon, and season with salt and pepper. And the pasta and adjust the heat to maintain strong, active bubbles and cook until the pasta is just tender, 7-9 minutes. Add the sausage, squash and stir in the spinach and cook until the pasta is al dente, another 3 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  4. Place in serving bowls and top with parmesan and the fresh mint.