This is a post sponsored by Southside Market & Barbeque, but as always, all opinions and thoughts are 100% my own and never influenced by a brand/blogger relationship. #SouthsideSausageRecipe #ad

No carb left behind is basically a slogan in my home. So let’s make some pasta with beef sausage, asparagus, and mushrooms! If you have vegetables in your fridge that are about to go bad or that you don’t know what to do with, there’s a good chance that you can make some sort of pasta dish from them. That’s, honestly, exactly what inspired this recipe: A large pack of mushrooms that I wasn’t too sure I could get through before they went bad, asparagus that had depleted all the water I stuck them in, half a leftover onion, and a small carton of heavy whipping cream that I literally had no ideas for.

Southside Market & Barbeque sent me some beef sausage to make a recipe with, and this one was pretty simply to bring together. Save 10% sidewide using code TXBBQ10!

First, I sauteed the sausage in some avocado oil until it was slightly crispy. After I removed to a plate, I sauteed onions, mushrooms, and asparagus, making sure that the asparagus remained bright green with some snap. Then I made some delicious sauce for the fettucine just using pasta water, heavy cream, and lemon juice.

Never underestimate the power of pasta water. In case you aren’t familiar, pasta water works because it has all this starch from the pasta and the salt water, making it a perfect binding mechanism to add some silkiness to your noodle dish. You can really add some pasta water to any noodle dish and it’ll immediately elevate the meal. What’s even better is you don’t have to do anything special. Simply save some water before draining the pasta. I usually save at least half a cup. You can start small and pour in a little at a time to your dish, stirring and continuing to cook on low for a couple of minutes before determining if your dish can benefit from more. 

The one thing I think you absolutely need in this dish is the sausage. Southside Market has six different smoked sausage flavors, all of which would go just fine in this meal. They have:

• Original Beef Sausage
• 1882 Hot Beef Sausage
• Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage
• Polish Sausage
• Garlic Pork Sausage
• Country Style Sausage

I opted for the first one, and I have to say that it’s so tasty. I don’t love italian sausage because of a strong fennel flavor and breakfast sausage just isn’t exciting for me. I normally go for kielbasa, but this one looked pretty solid. I was so happy with the end result! It was the perfect hint of smokiness to contribute to this meal.

Anyway, this recipe is easy, has minimal ingredients, and if a family favorite that even my kiddos ate multiple plates off. Yes, even the picky one. It all comes together really quickly, too. So, let’s get started. Here’s the recipe. Hope you enjoy!

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Sausage, Asparagus, and Mushroom Pasta

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 2 beef sausage links, sliced into rounds
• 6 asparagus, chopped into 1-inch long pieces
• 1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 5 whole baby bella mushrooms, stalks removed and the rest sliced
• Pinch each of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
• 12 ounces of fresh pasta (I used fettucine noodles)
• 1/2 cup pasta water
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• Pecorino romano cheese
• Parsley

Instructions

1. In a medium, high-sided saute pan, heat avocado oil over medium-high heat. Once heated up, add sliced sausage. Cook up until slightly crispy, then remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
2. Using the same pan, adding some additional avocado oil as necessary, add the asparagus, mushrooms, and onions, sautéing together until tender. Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, stirring together to combine.
3. As the vegetables are cooking, set a pot of water over high heat and add salt and pasta once boiling. Once the pasta is tender, scoop 1/2 cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta.
4. Using the same pan set over medium heat, add the whipping cream and bring to a simmer. Add the pasta water and juice from half a lemon.
5. Once the sauce is simmering, add the cooked pasta, vegetables, and sausage back to pan. Toss together to combine well and help the sauce to absorb into the pasta.
6. Finish off the pasta dish with a healthy sprinkle of pecorino romano and fresh parsley.