A Bright Sausage, Courgette and Lemon Risoni Pasta
This risoni pasta dish combines beautifully balanced flavours in a light yet comforting sauce. Here, the courgette is shaved into thin ribbons so it keeps its bite and delicate texture, rather than softening into something mushy. Paired with juicy sausage and briny capers, and lifted with lemon, white wine and crème fraîche, the result is a sauce that feels both fresh and gently creamy. The small risoni grains soak everything up perfectly, giving a satisfying mouthful with every spoonful.
A Simple Pasta Dish with Fresh Mediterranean Flavours
The combination of lemon, courgette and herbs gives this dish a bright, uplifting flavour that works beautifully for both lunch and dinner. The richness of the sausage is balanced by the acidity of lemon and capers, while the crème fraîche adds just enough creaminess without making the sauce heavy. Serve with a glass of crisp white wine for a simple but elegant meal.
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Sausage Courgette and Lemon Risoni (Easy Orzo Pasta Recipe)
Ingredients
- 150g risoni pasta
- 1 large garlic clove crushed
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 courgette
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- Rind of 1/2 lemon + squeeze of juice
- 200ml chicken stock
- 125ml white wine
- 1 heaped tbsp creme fraiche
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Dry roast fennel seeds until fragrant. Grind down in a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel the courgette lengthways into thin ribbons. Heat a frying pan with a little oil and fry courgettes a few minutes until soft. Season with salt, remove from pan and set aside.
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the risoni and cook according to the packet instructions. Drain and reserve some of the cooking water.
- Remove skin from sausages and break meat into small chunks. Add to the frying pan and fry until cooked through.
- Add rosemary, fennel, crushed garlic and chilli flakes to sausage meat. Fry a for one minute, then pour in white wine. Let the wine bubble away until reduced by half.
- Next add chicken stock, bring to the boil then simmer until slightly reduced and concentrated
- To finish the sauce, add the capers, crème fraîche, lemon rind, lemon juice, courgette ribbons and risoni. Combine well and cook for 1–2 minutes. If the pasta seems dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
