This creamy zucchini pasta is packed full of flavor and Whole30 approved. Slow-roasted tomatoes and fennel sausage take this cream sauce to a new level. Coconut milk makes a luscious dairy-free cream sauce!
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Fennel sausage, slow-roasted tomatoes with a cream sauce is one of my favorite pasta dishes! The sausage has a nice salty and spicy flavor coupled with the sweetness of the tomatoes. Instead of heavy cream, we use full-fat coconut milk. Zucchini noodles, or should I say ZOODLES is a great way to pack in more veggies, without sacrificing taste.
In my opinion, zucchini noodles are an acceptable replacement for conventional NOODLES. Of course, the texture and flavor are totally different, but it works! The trick is to remove all the water from the zucchini. After using my kitchen-aid spiralizer, I reach for a large tea towel and squeeze the life out of the zucchini. Now you have the perfect substitute for Italian spaghetti.
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What you need to make this recipe
- Zucchini - spiralized to make zoodles! Makes a wonderful gluten-free pasta.
- Coconut milk - the high-fat content works great for a cream sauce
- Spinach - adds color and is packed full of nutrients
- Tomatoes - slow-roasted to bring out the sweetness
- Garlic- for flavor!
- Italian sausage - for protein and really seasons this dish nicely
- Red pepper flakes - for heat
- Onion
- Olive oil - made from fresh-pressed olives and taste amazing!
- Italian seasoning - blend of Italian herbs. Typically oregano, marjoram, basil, rosemary, and sage.
How to make creamy zucchini pasta
1. You can use a hand crank spiralizer, or kitchen-aid carries an awesome attachment. Grab 6 medium-size zucchini's, and run them through the spiralizer. Make sure you have a bowl to catch the noodles.
2. This next step is so IMPORTANT in making creamy zucchini pasta! Place the noodles in a colander and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. This drawls the water out of the zucchini. After 30 minutes, grab a large tea towel and squeeze the water out. Set aside.
3. Place the fennel sausage in between two pieces of parchment paper and flatten with a rolling pin. You want about a ½ inch thickness.
4. In a hot cast-iron skillet, add the sausage. Cook 2 minutes per side, on medium heat. Break sausage apart into rough-cut pieces. Remove from pan and set aside.
5. In the same pan, combine olive oil, diced onion, and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, on medium-low heat. Toss in the slow-roasted tomatoes.
6. Add in spinach, seasonings, and coconut milk. Cook for 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted. To finish, add the zucchini noodles and cook for only a couple of minutes. Enjoy!
Pro tips
- Squeeze the zucchini. Vegetables contain mostly water. It's important to remove the water, or you will have a soggy noodle. I like to add a pinch of salt to the zoodles and let them sit for 30 minutes. Then grab a large towel and squeeze out the water. If you do Crossfit, consider this the WOD of the day.
- Flatten the fennel sausage. Since the fennel sausage is the main protein of the dish, I like having rough cuts of it. Plop the sausage in between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it into ½ thickness. The cook time will be a lot quicker since the sausage is all the same thickness.
- Use a LARGE pan. You will boil the pasta if you crowd the pan with too much volume. Pans with a large surface area will work the best. I love my large cast-iron skillet for this purpose.
- Don't overcook the zoodles. To get a spaghetti-like texture, you only want to heat the zucchini noodles through. I add them in 2 minutes before serving.
Frequently asked questions
How to cook zucchini noodles without getting soggy?
Put the noodles in a colander and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Let sit for 30 minutes. Salt helps draw moisture out. Now we need to remove the water from the noodles. Take a large towel and squeeze with all your might.
I don't have slow-roasted tomatoes, what should I do?
Slow-roasted tomatoes are delicious and offer a nice sweetness to the dish. You can replace it with 2 cups of canned diced tomatoes. Make sure to drain the tomatoes.
What vegetables can be spiralized?
If there ever was a perfect vegetable for a spiralizer, it would be the root vegetable. The firm texture makes them perfect for spiralizing. Squash and zucchini are great options as well.
What does fennel sausage taste like?
The flavor profile is a mild flavor sausage. The fennel contributes a sweet anise-like flavor that is awesome in any sausage.
You may like these too...
- slow-roasted tomatoes
- tender buffalo chicken stuffed sweet potatoes
- insanely delicious candied kumquats
- 5-minute homemade paleo mayo
📖 Recipe
Creamy Zucchini Pasta with Fennel Sausage
Ingredients
- 6 zucchini spiralized
- 1 teaspoon salt for noodles
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups slow-roasted tomato
- 4 cups spinach
- 1 can coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Spiralize all 6 zucchini and make sure to have a bowl to catch the noodles.
- Place the noodles in a colander and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt on top. Let sit for 30 minutes to draw the moisture out. Grab a large towel and squeeze all the water out of the zucchini.
- Place sausage in between 2 sheets of parchment paper and flatten. I use a rolling pin until I get ½ inch thickness.
- Place sausage in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove from pan and roughly chop into nice size pieces.
- In the same pan add olive oil, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes on medium-high heat.
- Add spinach, coconut milk, and seasonings. Cook until spinach is wilted and the sauce has reduced by half. To finish, toss in zucchini noodles and heat through.
- To serve, place creamy zucchini pasta with fennel sausage in a pasta bowl and enjoy!
