Zucchini-Sausage Bake
A hearty, one-pan dinner, made in less than an hour, full of zucchini, Italian sausage and seasonings in a tomato base.
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Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage links, mild or hot, see Notes
- 2 zucchini, chopped into 1/2" pieces
- 3 leeks, white and light green parts, sliced, see Notes on washing
- pinch kosher salt
- freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Mediterranean oregano
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a medium baking dish and set aside.
- In a shallow skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sausage until no pink remains. Drain well in a colander and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the zucchini, leeks, Italian seasoning, oregano, pinch of salt and pepper, to taste. Stir and cook until tender.
- Add the tomato paste and tomato sauce; stir to combine.
- Scrape the mixture into the greased baking dish. Top with the cheese.
- Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted, the edges are bubbling, and the top has a few light brown areas.
- Serve very warm.
Notes
Notes:
You can use ground Italian sausage instead of breaking up the links. Using ground will result in many small pieces of sausage throughout. Breaking up the links with your hands will give you bigger chunks of sausage, which I personally prefer. Your choice. Store leftovers well covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. How to clean leeks: Leeks are grown in sandy soil, so it is necessary to clean them well before use. You really don’t want a gritty texture to your dinner. Cut the green leaves from the top and cut the stringy roots off the bottom. Slice the leek in half longways. Place one half of a leek flat-side down on the cutting board. Cut into ½” long pieces. Repeat with the other half. Fill a medium bowl ¾ full of clean water. Place the leeks into the water and using your fingers, separate the layers of the leeks. Allow the leeks to sit undisturbed in the water so that the dirt and sand fall to the bottom of the bowl. The leeks are now ready to be removed with a slotted spoon, spider strainer, or gently with your hands.
You can use ground Italian sausage instead of breaking up the links. Using ground will result in many small pieces of sausage throughout. Breaking up the links with your hands will give you bigger chunks of sausage, which I personally prefer. Your choice. Store leftovers well covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. How to clean leeks: Leeks are grown in sandy soil, so it is necessary to clean them well before use. You really don’t want a gritty texture to your dinner. Cut the green leaves from the top and cut the stringy roots off the bottom. Slice the leek in half longways. Place one half of a leek flat-side down on the cutting board. Cut into ½” long pieces. Repeat with the other half. Fill a medium bowl ¾ full of clean water. Place the leeks into the water and using your fingers, separate the layers of the leeks. Allow the leeks to sit undisturbed in the water so that the dirt and sand fall to the bottom of the bowl. The leeks are now ready to be removed with a slotted spoon, spider strainer, or gently with your hands.
Nutrition Facts
Zucchini-Sausage Bake
Amount per Serving
Calories
420.15
% Daily Value*
Fat
32.55
g
50
%
Saturated Fat
13.53
g
85
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
3.53
g
Monounsaturated Fat
13.34
g
Cholesterol
86.97
mg
29
%
Sodium
1135.65
mg
49
%
Potassium
691.11
mg
20
%
Carbohydrates
11.39
g
4
%
Fiber
2.37
g
10
%
Sugar
6.03
g
7
%
Protein
21.25
g
43
%
Vitamin C
21.63
mg
26
%
Calcium
239.22
mg
24
%
Iron
2.65
mg
15
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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