What pasta can you substitute for cavatappi?

Cavatappi is my current favorite short cut of pasta (that bounce! that shape!), but there are several other cuts that will work just as well in its place if you can't find it or have others hanging around that you'd like to use up. Penne, rigatoni, ziti, farfalle, rotini, and orecchiette are all readily available and would work wonderfully with this recipe. The idea with short-cut pastas is to be able to get everything on your fork (sauce + sausage + zucchini +pasta) in one bite. Any of these shapes will work for that.

What can you substitute for Italian sausage?

This recipe works well with either sweet or hot Italian sausage, though beware that the hot varieties can be pretty spicy sometimes. You can also use chorizo (that would be delicious) or, in a pinch, just a basic sage sausage (like the breakfast variety). I would just stick to the bulk sausages, as opposed to the links or cured types, as the crumbles that form when you brown/cook bulk sausage make the whole dish so delicious.

How do you reheat pasta?

To reheat this pasta (or just about any pasta), I like to add it back into a pot/pan along with just a little splash of water. Then, just bring it up to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until it's heated through. Now, you can do this in the microwave if you like/have one (which also can keep you from having to wash a pan). But I like the more gradual, even warming that you get on the stovetop.

Can you freeze cooked pasta?

Yes! You can freeze cooked pasta. Just be sure to allow it to come all the way back down to room temperature, and then store it in an air-tight, freezer-safe container (labeled, if possible!) for up to two months. Pasta tends to freeze better if it hasn't been sauced yet, as it maintains its textural integrity a bit better this way. But that said, you can do all of the above with saucy pasta as well. To thaw, just allow it to come to room temperature (I leave it in the sink) and then reheat on the stovetop.

New! Delicious Italian Sausage Pasta with Zucchini (with 4 spin-offs)

Print Recipe

One of the tastiest pastas around, this one leans on a simple-yet-mighty team of ingredients to build maximum flavor with little cost of effort. Onion, garlic, stock concentrate, cream cheese, and tomato paste work together to create such a deliciously memorable sauce that coats each and every bouncy noodle in this superstar pasta recipe.

Author: Lauren McDuffie
Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound cavatappi pasta (or another short cut that you love)
2 zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
Olive oil, as needed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (or just dried oregano works)
1 small sweet onion, chopped
3/4 to 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3 garlic cloves, minced or grated
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons chicken stock concentrate
3 tablespoons cream cheese, crème fraiche, or sour cream
2 tablespoons butter
Grated or shredded parmesan cheese for topping

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the top position.
Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente (according to the package directions). Reserve 1.5 cups of the starchy water before draining.
Put the cut zucchini on a baking sheet and toss with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper, and half of the Italian seasoning. Roast until golden brown and tender; about 12 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, add another couple of tablespoons of olive oil to a large, deep skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion, sausage, and remaining Italian seasoning the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and the sausage is cooked through.
Add the garlic, tomato paste, stock concentrate, and cream cheese (or sour cream). Stir and cook for a couple of minutes (so the garlic + tomato paste aren’t raw). Turn off the heat, and add the cooked pasta and the butter and any reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Add the roasted zucchini and gently toss to combine everything. Serve with lots of parmesan cheese and enjoy.

Find it online: https://mykitchenlittle.com/2024/04/01/sausage-pasta-with-zucchini/