Pesto Pasta with Turkey Sausage and Brussel Sprouts

I made this recipe for a nice Valentine's Day dinner. I have made this recipe a number of times and it is always delicious! When I make it in the summer, I normally make my own pesto from fresh basil but this time around I used store-bought pesto.

It originally came from Gimme Some Oven.

Pesto Pasta with Turkey Sausage and Brussel Sprouts 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of brussel sprouts (halved) 
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 lb (16 oz) of pasta (the original recipe calls for Orecchiette but I normally can't find it and use whole wheat bow-tie or penne)
• 10-14 oz of turkey kielbasa or chicken sausage
• 4 tbsp of minced garlic
• 1/2 cup of pesto
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese for serving

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the brussel sprouts in half and cut off the stem part on the bottom. In a bowl, mix the brussel sprouts, about 2 tbsp of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. 
2. Place tin foil on a baking sheet and spread brussel sprouts out over the sheet. Roast for 20-30 minutes. Flip brussel sprouts half way through cooking time. When done, remove from oven and set aside.
3. Start cooking pasta according to package directions. When pasta is done cooking, rinse with cold water.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Cook the kielbasa/sausage for about 6-8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute or two. 
5. Combine the cooked pasta, roasted brussel sprouts, and the cooked sausage and garlic. Mix in the pesto and top with parmesan cheese. 

Step 2: Roasting the brussel sprouts

Step 4: Cooking the kielbasa and garlic.

The pesto that I used.

All mixed together.

Ready to enjoy!