One Pot Lemon Basil, Asparagus, and Sausage Pasta.
One Pot Lemon Basil, Asparagus, and Sausage Pasta. This sausage pasta is made in 30 minutes, uses just one pot, and is a great way to use up that springtime asparagus. It’s made with spicy Italian chicken sausage, packed asparagus, is a touch garlicky, and finished with green olives and fresh basil. Perfect quick-cooking pasta that’s great for both late spring and summer nights. Everyone in the house will enjoy this cozy yet vibrant pasta, and the leftovers the following day are delicious.
The truth? A lot of times I make a recipe with a certain person in mind. It can be a sibling, a friend, anyone really. But I have the most fun creating recipes with others in mind. It allows me to step outside my own zone and think about what the other person would enjoy. It keeps things fun, fresh, and creative for me.
This pasta is a combination of two people and they both have very different flavor pallets. My oldest brother, Creighton, and my sister-in-law, Lyndsie.
Creighton is the person I turn to when I need a good meat-based recipe or something fun, cheesy, and more times than not, extra saucy. Creighton is all about the sauce. He loves his old school favorites like chicken fingers. tater tot casserole, or gyros with extra tzatziki sauce.
Lynd’s on the other hand? She is the complete opposite. Lyndsie loves vegetables and wants everything to be heavy on the herbs. She tosses in out-there ingredients and loves her cheese and lemons. In general, she’s all about vegetable-forward recipes with plenty of flavor and color.
These two could not be more different, yet this pasta is mash-up of what each of them loves most.
The details you need to know about this one pot pasta…
As you might guess, this is pretty simple and straight forward, but I’m throwing in some major flavor throughout.
Start with the pasta. For this particular recipe, I like to boil and drain the pasta first.
While the pasta is boiling, make a quick vinaigrette/sauce. This is the flavor of this pasta. It’s a mix of plenty of fresh basil, chives, and green olives. It’s fresh, a bit tangy, and perfectly salted. The idea is that by the time the pasta is finished boiling, all the other prep work is complete.
If you have a food processor, this makes really quick work of all the chopping and mixing. It creates a more vinaigrette-like sauce that will give your pasta a very pretty green hue. Just a tip, but certainly not needed if you don’t own a food processor.
Once the pasta has been drained, start cooking the spicy Italian chicken sausage in the very same pot you boiled the pasta in. I like to brown the sausage in a little olive before adding the asparagus and garlic. Once the garlic is added, you’ll want to cook a few minutes more, just until that garlic is fragrant.
Next, white wine, just a splash. It’s delicious and adds a nice flavor. Of course, if you prefer not to cook with wine, you can simply use a splash of white vinegar, chicken broth, or vegetable broth. My first choice would be the vinegar, followed by the broth.
Next add the pasta, plenty of freshly grated parmesan cheese, and all of the basily olive sauce. Once you add the sauce, your kitchen will immediately smell amazing. Like an Italian grandma’s kitchen in the summer months when she’s cooking with fresh basil from the garden.
It’s a very wonderful smell.
Suggestions, substitutes, and ideas…
If you don’t love asparagus, try using another spring or summer vegetable. I recommend broccoli or zucchini, just something green to preserve the pretty vibrant green color throughout this one pot pasta.
Not a fan of sausage? Well, first I highly recommend giving an Italian chicken sausage a try. It’s spicy, less fatty, and I always find it to have much better flavor in comparison to traditional pork sausage. I like to buy my chicken sausage at Whole Foods from the butcher, but most grocery stores with a butcher will make you fresh chicken sausage if you ask.
And that’s it. Serve this up while it’s warm and every bowl at the table will come back to the sink clean.
Creighton has said this is my best “quarantined” recipe yet. It’s his new favorite…which honestly I was shocked by. This pasta ended up being much more of a Lyndsie food versus a Creighton food. I was worried he wouldn’t even touch this due to the green color. But he loved every last bite and is calling it a new favorite. Who knew he’d love something so green…exciting.
And the best part? This is an easy, flavorful pasta that could not be better for a busy night. Plus the leftovers are great warm or chilled the following day.
Tip? Add a couple of handfuls of baby spinach to boost the greens! Now you basically have pasta salad. So very balanced! Enjoy everyone!
Looking for other one pot recipe? Here are a couple of favorites…
One Pot Creamy Tuscan Pesto and Artichoke Pasta
One Pot 30 Minute Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta Bake
Lastly, if you make this one pot lemon basil, asparagus, and sausage pasta, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
One Pot Lemon Basil, Asparagus, and Sausage Pasta.
Made in 30 minutes, uses just one pot, and is a great way to use up that springtime asparagus!
Ingredients
- 1 pound short-cut pasta
- 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1/2 cup green olives chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 pound ground spicy Italian chicken sausage
- 1 bunch asparagus, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
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1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, mix together 1/4 cup olive oil, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, basil, chives, and olives in a bowl, or pulse in the food processor. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In the same pot used to cook the pasta, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken sausage and brown all over, about 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the asparagus, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes or until the asparagus is tender. Add the wine. Simmer 2-3 minutes, then add the pasta and parmesan, tossing well to coat.
4. Add the basil/olive sauce and toss. Remove from the heat and serve immediately topped with additional basil and parmesan. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
To Make Vegetarian: omit the sausage and instead, when adding the shallots, also add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
To Replace the Wine: if you prefer not to cook with wine, you can simply use a splash of white vinegar, chicken broth, or vegetable broth. My first choice would be the vinegar, followed by the broth.
Our Favorite Recipes
Basil Chicken Saltimbocca with Marinated Tomatoes and Burrata.
HI Tieghan – This looks SO good, can’t wait to make it! I had a quick question though. I’m not a vegetarian, but I happened to glance at the instructions for the vegetarian version of the dish. It mentions omit the sausage and when adding the “shallots,” to also add some olive oil and several herbs. I didn’t see shallots mentioned in the original recipe? Are they supposed to be included or did you mean to say garlic in the vegetarian version? Thanks!
Hi Marcie,
Yes sorry about that, it is fixed! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! Is there anything you can sub in for the olives when making the sauce? Also I just got your Super Simple cookbook & absolutely love it!!
Hi Emily,
So glad you are enjoying the book! You can simply omit the olives. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was delicious! A keeper!
Thank you so much Zoe! xTieghan
I want to try this with broccoli. Should I steam it first?
Hi Anne,
Sure that would be great! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Made this tonight and loved the vinaigrette so much that I might have to make a large batch for salad, chicken, everything else! Really great dish!
Thank you so much Bridget! That is amazing to hear! xTieghan
I loved this recipe!! Fresh and zingy. I’m so glad I found your blog. I have cowboy cookies waiting to go in the oven. 😀
Thank you Katie!! I hope you love the cowboy cookies just as much! xTieghan
it is informative.good information.
Thank you! xTieghan
I made this last night and it was one of the best pastas my husband and I have ever had! The ingredients didn’t seem like they would go together to me, but I have enjoyed so many of your recipes I gave it a go. Amazing!
Can’t wait to share with friends. Making again for my kids next week!
Love that!! Thank you so much for trying this one, Karen!! xTieghan
I’m so excited to make this! I’m living in Australia and have not ever seen chives in stores- what would you recommend using instead? I could probably just omit them?
Hi Sophie,
Yes that would be okay to leave them out. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi there.
So I made this and used 1/2 the basil and substituted arugula instead. I’m a little sensitive to dishes that are too strongly flavored by basil. This substitution worked perfectly! The dish was wonderful. My family especially liked the lemon zest. I think we had an extra large lemon and honestly it made the dish so fresh and bright. This is a definite winner!
Thank you so much Lisa-Sue! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made this and used asparagus, and the rest of our broccoli and spinach. It was a hit! Then we had the lemon tarte for dessert!
Thank you so much Angie! xTieghan
This was delish I’ll definitely make this again. Simple and easy
Thank you so much Teresa! xTieghan
Do you think I could use pesto instead of the suggested sauce? Also do you think mushrooms could be added? I could not find chicken sausage so using Italian sausage. I’m always nervous to adjust recipes!
Hi Shannon,
Pesto would be great as would the mushrooms! I hope love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Holy amazing!!!
Thnak youu Bridget!! xTieghan
This was super easy to make, especially for how delicious it was! Definitely a keeper!
Thank you so much Kendal! xTieghan
The taste was really nice, but I felt like it should have been waaaaay more saucy
Hi Marit! Thank you for trying this! Please let me know if there are any questions I can help with! xTieghan
Loved this recipe. I double the sauce because I know my family loves extra sauce in any pasta dish. However, I 100% think it would have just as yummy not doubled. Make this you won’t regret it and it’s truly a quick one to make.
Thank you so much Jaclyn!! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
we are all working with what we have, so I used a couple slices of bacon and some shallots in place of the sausage. I also only had that weird refrigerated dehydrated basil for the olive pesto. I stirred in some spinach at the end–this was a fantastic asparagus pasta dish even with my subs. I can’t wait to make it with the suggested ingredients! Added to my favorites.
I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Sharon! I hope you love it even more when you are able to get the ingredients! Thank you! xTieghan
I just made this for dinner – WOW. So delicious. I have to admit I was skeptical about the olives but they worked so well in the sauce. I followed the recipe exactly and wouldn’t change a thing. This will definitely be on regular rotation in my house :).
Amazing! Thank you so much Lucy! xTieghan
Oh this was so tasty and so refreshing!!!! Will be making again!
Thank you so much Anna!! xTieghan
Very good. I thought the sauce would be too tangy as I tried it by itself. But after it was added to the pasta, sausage and Parmesan, it was very tasty!
Thank you so much Kim! xTieghan
Very good. I thought the sauce would be too tangy as I tried it by itself. But after it was added to the pasta, sausage and Parmesan, it was very tasty!
Thank you Kim! That is amazing to hear! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious. Prepped ahead, all went smoothly. A keeper, made as printed.
Thank you Sheryl! xTieghan
I tried this for dinner tonight and it was so so delicious. I honestly was a bit worried about the acidity of the sauce but I didn’t need to be, it was perfect. I added a bit of ricotta for my 5 year old just in case and she loved it. Thanks!
Thank you so much Holly! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This was the BEST pasta recipe I’ve ever made. My boyfriend and I had to go back for seconds. Can’t wait to make it again! So good thank you so much!
Thank you Hannah! xTieghan
We love this recipe. Prepared last night, and it tastes wonderful! We don’t like any heat in our food, so I just eliminated the pepper flakes. We’ll have the leftovers tonight as a cold salad. I may add some of the baby spinach from our garden tonight. Keep bringing us these brilliant flavorful recipes! I’m a fan.
Thank you so much Diane! That is really amazing to hear! xTieghan
delicious and very easy, just as you said! an A+ wednesday night meal 🙂 thank you for putting out so much content and new recipes during this crazy time, it’s so helpful!
I am just glad you have been enjoying my recipes! Thank you Madison! xTieghan
Made this for dinner a few nights ago, my Aunt and I loved it!! I ham a HUGE lemon fan, so I was ALL OVER this dish! Loved how the sweet freshness of the asparagus balanced the spicy and saltiness of the rest of the dish! Thank you for this awesome recipe! ♡
Thank you Summer! xTieghan
I made this last night and added a leek along with the garlic – it was absolutely incredible!!! I never go wrong with your recipes, thank you!
You are too kind!! Thank you so much, Jennifer! I hope you continue to enjoy my recipes! xTieghan
This was so delicious! Fresh and bright! Made it for lunch over spinach ricotta raviolis! Definitely going into a permanent rotation!!!
Love to hear that! Thank you so much Lauren! xTieghan
Great recipe! I’m an amateur cook so I LOVE recipes like this! Recipes that are easy but taste like I’ve been in the kitchen for hours. The flavors and textures are wonderful. Loved it! Thanks so much for this!
Thank you so much Charlene!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Made this tonite, with plant-based sausage and broccoli cuz I didn’t have asparagus. Delicious and very satisfying!
Thank you Heidi! xTieghan
This is a very flavorful dish! Mine was not as green, I think because I omitted green olives due to not liking them. I added broccoli with asparagus and was delicious. The only suggestion is with the website, I place my favorite recipes in the recipe box for future use, is there a way that I can add personal notes to the recipe box so when I use it again I can refer back to things like, double the vinaigrette and add broccoli? This just helps me when I make it again, what worked for my family etc. Thank you and I really have enjoyed your recipes!
Hi Tricia! As of right now there is not, but that is a great idea!! Thank you! xTieghan
Loved this dish! The sauce was so yummy! Definitely planning to use it for a cold pasta salad!
Thank you Deidre!! I am really glad you enjoyed this! xTieghan
Hello,
I’m wondering if anyone has served this at room-temp as a pasta salad? It looks terrific but don’t want to compromise the flavor if better served hot.
Thank you!
Hi Marie,
I think it would be totally fine to serve this at room temp. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Loved it. Made it with brocollini —and will cut the apple cider vinegar in half next time. But super yummy!! thank you!
Thank you Jennifer! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Made this the other night and it was very easy and delicious. My 4 year old asked “how did you make this? it’s so yummy.” And all my kids asked for seconds! So definitely going to make it again!!
Aw that is so amazing!! I am so glad you all loved this, Kristin! xTieghan
This recipe was incredible! So unlike any pasta dish currently in rotation. Will definitely be sharing and saving this one to make again.
Love that! Thank you for trying this one, Anjelique! xTieghan
This was awesome! My husband only likes pasta with red sauces, and I get so bored with that, but he loved this! Thx for making us both pleased 🙂
Thank you Nina!! I am so glad you both enjoyed this! xTieghan
Loved this dish! It’s different, full of flavor, and healthy! Made it with beyond Italian sausage and glutton free penne pasta. Definitely will be making this one again!
Thank you Sarah! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I don’t see the shallots in the recipe. Can you use Beyond Burger sausage for the vegetarian version?
Hi Marla,
You would add the shallots in step 3, yes you can use a meat alternative. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
So delicious! This will be made again and again.
Thank you so much Marie! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made the one pot pasta according to the recipient, except for a substitution of spinach for the asparagus. It was delicious, and will definitely make it into the rotation.
Thank you so much Susan! xTieghan
Your recipes are amazing! We don’t eat a lot of pasta, but this was so good! My husband and I have tried many of your recipes, and they are all so delicious! Thanks so much! Would love to see you in the Cleveland area when the world is normal again!
Thank you so much Ann! I am so glad you have been loving my recipes! & I hope you continue to! xTieghan
Another big hit from HBH!! I am growing basil this year in pots on my back porch! It’s one of my favorite herbs to cook with. I had to try this pasta dish. Most of my kids loved it even one rather picky one! I used chicken breast cut into tiny cubes instead of the sausage and zucchini instead of asparagus but followed everything else. We really enjoyed it!! It will be a regular for me!!
Thank you so much Lori!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Delish! I used crumbled goat cheese instead of Parmesan and hot Italian pork sausage (store didn’t have chicken sausage) and this recipe delivered! Thank you!
Thank you so much Asha! I am so glad this turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan
Thinking of serving this for company just not sure what to serve with it. Any suggestions? No ac here means I’m trying to not use the oven. Thanks! It looks so good!
Hey Marisol,
I would serve this on it’s own maybe with some rustic bread and a big salad! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Wonderful dish. Perfect summery, light, zesty entree for a hot summer evening. Goes great with Albariño wine. Also I used Italian seasoned ground turkey and it was great.
Thank you so much Joseph! xTieghan
I substituted capers for olives (hubby and I aren’t big olive fans) and added a bit of ricotta cheese (didn’t have enough parmesan cheese). I used a blend of basil and lemon basil to accentuate the citrus notes. It turned out to be a beautiful dish! Thanks for posting this recipe. It will definitely be a repeat for us!!!
Thank you so much Jessica! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Had a question about replacing the white wine with vinegar. Should I be using a 1/4 cup vinegar since the recipe calls for a 1/4 cup white wine? In the notes it says a “splash” of vinegar to replace the wine so I wasn’t sure if that meant use the same amount as the recipe calls for or literally just a splash. Love your recipes!!! Thank you!
Hey Krys,
The vinegar is much more potent, so I would just use a splash. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hey there- where are the shallots in this recipe? 🙂
Hey Ashley,
This recipe does not require shallots unless making vegetarian, the instructions are in the recipe notes. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
LOVED this. Super fresh and light for an end of summer supper. And SO easy to throw together after work.
Amazing!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Lauren! xTieghan
Im wondering if I can make this with pork sausage. Would it change the flavor too much?
Hey Betsey,
Pork sausage would be totally fine to use here! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Delicious! All the herbs and lemon make it nice and refreshing while also being super filling.
Thank you so much Nicole!! xTieghan
I ended up making this and serving it as a cold pasta dish on a very hot day. It was fantastic! The flavors are so bright and fresh! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Jessica! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This meal was fantastic! THANK YOU!!!!!!
Thank you Stephanie! xTieghan
This dish was delicious!!! I swapped in zucchini and mushrooms and it was just as tasty! My boyfriend said it was his favourite pesto dish so far 🙂
Amazing! Thank you so much Sandy! xTieghan
I’ve made this twice now and absolutely love it. My husband thought it was a little heavy on the lemon but I personally loved the amount of lemony taste. The olive/basil sauce is so unique! Highly recommend!
Thank you so much Julie! I am really glad this recipe turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan
I’m always looking for a tomato-less pasta and this was perfect! Super easy and light! I used hot chicken sausage, just took it out of the casing and fresh lemons from a neighbors tree. Another HBH recipe that has been requested to be put into rotation 🙂
Hey Lisa,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So delicious. I was wary about the olives in the sauce but it turned out so good. My son who is a pretty picky eater hates olives and got seconds!
Hey Anna,
I am thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out. Have a great weekend! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan–can I substitute pork sausage for the chicken sausage? Thanks!
Hey Alex,
Yes, that would work well here. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was AWESOME and EASY! Takes a minute on the prepping side (if you take you’re time like me) but is truly 1, 2, 3! I was skeptical of the flavor combo at first but I trusted the process… well worth it!! Can’t wait to make it again.
Hey Case,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thank you for making it! xTieghan
O.M.G. This was delicious!! I omitted olives because I don’t like them. The sauce is AMAZING!!
Hey Kristin,
I am absolutely delighted that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for making it! Have the best week☀️ xTieghan
I’ve made this recipe several times now. I absolutely love it. It’s always a hit even if you don’t love green olives. It makes a lot so i’ve made it for 6 adults without doubling the pasta! Ive also made it for my husband and myself and enjoyed leftovers all week! But I will say I double the sauce every time. The first time I made it, I made another batch of the sauce after I saw it on the pasta. It just wasn’t nearly enough. I do think HBH recipes can be misleading because she goes to great lengths to style the picture, which are beautiful! I feel like for these pics she must have made more sauce to pour over after she plated it lol maybe not tho. Either way this recipe is bomb. Double the sauce and a garlic (because always)!
Hey Ani,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
So easy and absolutely delicious! Have made several times. Tastes even better the next day,
Hey Nilpa,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so excited that it was enjoyed! Happy Friday! xTieghan
This pasta dish was delicious! Whole family of 4 agreed. It satisfied me, very much a pasta lover as well as my meat loving husband. It was such a great combination of flavors, I will definitely be making this again.
Hey Amanda,
Happy Weekend! Thanks for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This dish is so good! My family loved it! Thank you for sharing.
Hey Hilary,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I am delighted that it was enjoyed!! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
I made this last night and loved it! I am wondering thought – I bought canned green olives from TJs and found that they tasted like canned black olives. I added them anyway because why not, they taste earthy, but I’m curious to know what kind of olive flavor was originally intended – a more salty briny sour-ish olive or a more oily, earth olive?
Hey Nicole,
Awesome! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
Restaurant quality! One of our new favorites!
Hey Jill,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan