Italian Sausage and Pepper Pasta- Weight Watchers 7 Points

By bnpolley

A weight watcher friendly meal of Italian Sausage and Pepper Pasta. The sauce is also good spooned over rice. Toss in some fennel seeds for even greater flavor.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound uncooked turkey sausage, Italian-style, casings removed
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, extra-virgin
• 2 medium yellow pepper, cut into 2-inch long thin strips
• 1 medium uncooked onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted recommended
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or less to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 8 ounces uncooked whole-wheat pasta, fusilli
• 1/3 cup basil, fresh, chopped

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 25mins
Adapted from weightwatchers.com

Preparation

Step 1

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile, to make sauce, in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage, stirring and breaking up meat with back of a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes; remove to a plate.

Heat oil in same skillet. Add yellow peppers and onion; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are lightly colored and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Add wine and garlic; cook until most of liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, crushed red pepper, salt and browned sausage; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender and sauce is heated through, about 10 minutes.

While sauce simmers, add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package instructions. Drain pasta; return to pot. Add sauce and basil; toss to mix and coat. Yields about 1 1/3 cups per serving.