Easy Cheesy Sausage and Green Bean Skillet Pasta

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bertolli®. The opinions and text are all mine.

A one skillet pasta dish that is cheesy, hearty, and flavorful, and that is made in under 20 minutes! A perfect weeknight meal.

I love food, and grew up in a family where pasta was a staple at dinner time. My dad lived in Italy for a time, and this meant he had a passion for Italian dishes. My passion for food is only rivaled by my passion for travel. My husband and I have had the privilege of extensive travel, usually as a result of scrimping and saving in other areas so we could afford to see the world.

One of my favorite locations to visit is Italy. The culture, the history, the art, and of course the food are all a big draw. As are the gorgeous landscapes. It will always hold a special place in my heart, and I intend to visit it again and often. But with four little ones at home, and bills to pay, getting there as much as I want is a challenge.

I was at my local Kroger banner store, Smith’s, doing some shopping, and saw that all the staff wore shirts that said, “Taste of Italy” on them. There were signs, and banners, and fun samples. It was very festive, and I loved it. It made me remember fondly our travels through Italy, and made me want to make a fantastic Italian-inspired dinner for my family. Just a little something to keep the fun and fond memories going.

The only problem was, it was a Tuesday, and a very busy one. Kids had activities, I was driving, which meant hours in the car, not the kitchen.

But don’t worry, thanks to Bertolli pasta sauces, I did not need hours. One thing my dad always taught me was that a good sauce needs time to simmer. But we live in the world of instant, and time is a luxury I rarely have. Which is why I am so grateful for quick cook meals, and amazing bottled pasta sauces to help make recipes like this possible on a hectic weeknight. This recipe is ridiculously easy, and tastes awesome. Plus it is super easy to customize to personal preference.

Here is what I did:

I browned some sausage and sautéed some onions, then added in my quick cook (no boil, no strain) pasta noodles, water, and some fresh French green beans, and let it cook 10 minutes. Then I added in the Bertolli pasta sauce, and let it simmer a couple minutes longer to let a little more water cook off. Of course if you can’t find the quick cook noodles, just cook noodles like normal, and sauté the green beans with your meat and onions. Then add in the noodles and the sauce.   Once all of your ingredients are combined, just top it with cheese, and throw it in the oven on broil for a few minutes to melt the cheese on top. You can use as much or as little cheese as you’d like. I was in a cheesy mood, so we used a full 2 1/2 cups! Then I garnished with some fresh cut Italian parsley, and wahla, dinner was done, start to finish under 20 minutes! It was so quick we even had time to eat the Italian way, as a family, gathered round the table, despite an evening full of activities. And wow was it good. The spicy sausage adds some heft and flavor, the green beans add texture, and the cheese, well, cheese is just yummy! Right?

And clean up was a snap too because I made it all in one skillet! Hello…is that awesome or what? Of course, getting the kids to clean out the dishwasher is always a chore, so I save energy where I can so I can expend it where I have to. I’m smart like that.

This makes a lot, so we will definitely be eating leftovers of it, but while in general I am not a huge leftovers fan, these leftovers will definitely get used up as I have been craving some Tuscan and Italian inspired cuisine of late.

Last time I was in Italy I tossed my coin over my shoulder into the Trevi fountain, so I will be back! Maybe I will see you there?

Until then, let’s enjoy some tasty, easy, family style pasta together! Let’s get to the recipe:

Visit your local Kroger and purchase Bertolli®, along with other Taste of Italy® products and create a wonderfully Italian-inspired meal like this one!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bertolli®. The opinions and text are all mine.