Easy Trader Joe’s Dinner: Late Summer Pesto Pasta Salad with Chicken Sausage
I love August. It’s that time of summer to slow down a tad, soak up those last beach days and enjoy all the seasonal produce.
I whipped up this gluten free pesto pasta salad the other week (using 100% ingredients from Trader Joe’s) and it was a big hit in our family. It’s easily “deconstructable” so you can leave some plain pasta or veggies on the side for those picky eaters. Not to mention, it’s easy to prep making dinner a breeze.
You can also adjust the recipe to your specific dietary needs such as leaving out the chicken sausage and cheese for a vegan option.
Gluten Free Pesto Pasta Salad with Broccoli & Chicken Sausage
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Organic Brown Rice & Quinoa Fusilli Pasta
- 1 package chicken sausage of your choice, sliced in wedges
- 1 bag frozen broccoli
- Big handful arugula
- 1 package heirloom cherry tomatoes
- 8 oz. mini mozzarella balls (I like the marinated package)
- 1 cup Trader Joe’s Vegan Kale, Cashew & Basil Pesto (regular pesto also works)
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- Salt & pepper to taste
- About 1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese
- Cook the pasta according to directions. In the meantime, steam the broccoli until tender and saute the chicken sausage in olive oil.
- While the hot ingredients are cooking, slice grape tomatoes and mozzarella in half and set aside.
- Mix cooked pasta with chicken sausage, broccoli, arugula, tomatoes, mozzarella, pesto sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Garnish with shaved parmesan cheese before serving.
Enjoy!
