Shortcut Lasagna Pasta

This pasta is so flavorful and perfect for nights where you want a quick, comforting meal. Lighter than traditional lasagna, this pasta is packed with zucchini and has less cheese. Make sure to use a pasta that has space for the sauce to get into- Zucchette is super fun and perfect for fall!

Ingredients:

10 oz. dried pasta in a large tubular shape, such as rigatoni. I used a seasonal pasta from Whole Foods shaped like pumpkins called Zucchette

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 lb. raw mild or spicy Italian Chicken Sausage

2 cups chopped zucchini

2.5 cups good tomato sauce, such as Rao’s

½ cup ricotta cheese

1.5 cups shredded Italian cheese blend

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Remove chicken sausage from casing and brown in oil, breaking sausage into small pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks. After meat is browned, add chopped zucchini and cook for 3-4 additional minutes. Mix in tomato sauce and ricotta cheese. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 425 degrees until cheese is melted, about 10-15 minutes. 

Enjoy!