Wide noodles with ratatouille and sausage meatballs
Sometimes, when I want something quick yet satisfying, I turn to pasta with vegetables and sausage. I've combined this many times using wide noodles, seasonal vegetables, and meat taken straight from the sausage, shaped into small meatballs. It may seem like an improvised mix, but it has everything needed for a hearty dinner, especially if you want to use what you have in the fridge. It doesn't take long, and you don't need any special technique.
Quick Info
Total Time: approximately 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: medium
Ingredients
2 fresh homemade sausages
400 g wide noodles (or any type of wide pasta)
1 red bell pepper, cut into large strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into large strips
1 red onion, sliced
1 yellow onion, sliced
3 green onions, chopped
½ pumpkin (about 300 g), cut into suitable cubes
150 g porcini mushrooms (or other mushrooms, preferably with a strong flavor), in large pieces
100 g peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped
100 g green peas
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
100 ml dry white wine
1 sprig of fresh thyme
fresh basil leaves (for serving)
olive oil (about 2-3 tablespoons)
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation Method
1. Remove the meat from the sausages and form small balls, about the size of a walnut. They don't need to be perfectly round; just make sure they aren't too big so they cook quickly.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the formed meatballs and fry them on all sides until golden brown. Avoid moving them too much at first to allow a crust to form. Take a few minutes here to prevent them from falling apart.
3. Once browned, add the crushed garlic and stir for 30-40 seconds to release its aroma. Immediately after, add all types of onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Sauté everything for about 3 minutes until the onions become slightly translucent.
4. Add the pumpkin, tomatoes, peas, and thyme. Gently stir. Pour in the wine, season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let it simmer on low to medium heat for 12-15 minutes. The pumpkin should soften but not disintegrate completely.
5. Meanwhile, boil the pasta in salted water. I usually cook them for 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions to avoid them becoming mushy in the skillet. Drain them well.
6. When the vegetables are done and the liquid has reduced, taste and adjust the seasonings. If there's too much sauce, let it cook uncovered for another 2-3 minutes.
7. Return the skillet to the heat, add the drained pasta. Gently stir to coat them with the sauce and vegetables. Turn off the heat.
8. Serve immediately, topped with fresh basil leaves.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
First of all, because it’s quick and doesn’t require special planning. Sausages and pasta are easy to find, and the vegetables can be adapted. The recipe keeps well in the fridge without losing texture or flavor the next day. Plus, I can change it up based on what I have in the fridge.
Tips
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet at the beginning; otherwise, the meatballs will become soggy instead of browning.
- Cut the vegetables larger so they don’t get lost in the sauce.
- If you want a thicker texture, you can reserve 2-3 tablespoons of the pasta water and add it at the end.
Substitutions
- You can use any type of sausage, but homemade ones with garlic and spices are ideal. Fresh pork or turkey sausages also work.
- If you don’t have porcini mushrooms, any flavorful mushroom will do: brown champignons, oyster mushrooms.
- The pumpkin can be replaced with zucchini or even sweet potato.
- Peas can be omitted if you don’t have them or substituted with cut green beans.
Variations
- For a spicy version, use sausages with chili or add chili flakes.
- If you only have summer vegetables, you can use eggplant or zucchini instead of pumpkin without changing anything else.
- You can add some cubes of feta cheese or grated parmesan at the end.
Serving Ideas
- It works well as a main dish, but if you like, you can serve it alongside a tomato and onion salad.
- For an extra splash of color, sprinkle chopped parsley or dill on top, not just basil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the meatballs be made with ground meat?
Yes, but you will need to season them separately. If using plain ground meat, add salt, pepper, garlic, and a bit of paprika.
Can I freeze this dish?
I do not recommend it, as the pasta and vegetables change texture when thawed.
Can I make the recipe without wine?
You can skip the wine, but add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or a bit of white wine vinegar for acidity.
How do I know when the vegetables are done?
The pumpkin and bell peppers should be tender when pierced with a fork but not mushy.
What can I substitute for wide noodles?
Any short pasta, like penne or rigatoni, works well. Avoid thin or very small pasta, as they won’t absorb enough sauce.
Nutritional Values (per serving)
Approx. 550 kcal
Protein: 24 g
Carbohydrates: 64 g
Fats: 21 g
Fiber: 7 g
The values depend greatly on the type of sausages and the amount of oil used. If you want fewer calories, you can use leaner meat and less oil.
Storage and Reheating
It keeps in the fridge for 2 days in a sealed container. It reheats best in a skillet with 1-2 tablespoons of water or a bit of oil over low heat, stirring gently to avoid breaking the pasta. It can also be heated in the microwave, but the texture won’t be the same. Freezing is not recommended.
1. We put olive oil in a larger pan. 2. We take the sausage and pull small pieces of meat from the casing by hand, about the size of meatballs. We put them in the pan to fry over medium heat until browned, turning them on all sides. 3. When the sausage meatballs are golden, we add the garlic, then all three types of onion, bell peppers, mushrooms, and sauté everything well for about 3 minutes. 4. Then we add the pumpkin, tomatoes, peas, thyme, wine, salt, and pepper to taste, cover the pan with a lid, and let it simmer on low heat until the liquid reduces and the vegetables are tender. When ready, we remove the pan from the heat. 5. In a pot, we put salted water, place it on the stove, and bring it to a boil. We add the pasta and boil it for 8 minutes, then drain it well. 6. We put the ratatouille pan back on the heat and warm up the entire contents. When the vegetables are hot, we add the pasta and gently mix until completely coated. 7. We serve the hot pasta garnished with fresh basil. Enjoy your meal!
Ingredients: 2 fresh homemade sausages, 400 g wide noodles, 1 red bell pepper, peeled and cut into large strips, 1 red bell pepper, peeled and cut into large strips, 1 red onion, peeled and cut into large strips, 1 yellow onion, peeled and cut into large strips, 3 green onions, cut into rounds, 1/2 pumpkin, peeled and cut into appropriately sized cubes, 150 g of porcini mushrooms or any other mushrooms, cleaned and cut into large pieces, 100 g of tomatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes, 100 g of green peas, 1 sprig of thyme, 4 cloves of garlic, 100 ml of white wine, fresh basil leaves, olive oil, salt and pepper
