Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Roasted Brussels Sprouts
This Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Roasted Brussels Sprouts delivers 25g protein and 765 calories per serving. Quick stovetop prep batches 4 servings, covering a calorie-dense dinner for lifters in a bulking phase. Pair with additional protein sources if targeting 50g+ protein per meal.
Ingredients
- •Brussels Sprouts(454g)
- •Olive oil(45g)
Regular (not extra-virgin) olive oil for high-heat cooking. EVOO for dressings.
- •1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
- •1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
- •Pasta, Orecchiette, White, Dry(454g)
- •Chicken Sausage Links
- •Garlic(300g)
- •Basil Pesto, Prepared(80g)
- •Parmesan Cheese
Grated Parmesan — the shelf-stable canister is fine for cooking.
Instructions
- 1Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together brussels sprouts, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper. Gently stir until well-combined.
- 2Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then spread the brussels sprouts on it evenly. Roast for about 20-30 minutes, stirring once partway through, or until they are crispy on the outside and cooked on the inside. (My batch of tiny sprouts only took about 12 minutes to cook.) Remove from oven and set aside.
- 3Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until nearly-browned, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the sausage is browned.
- 4Cook the pasta in generously-salted boiling water until al dente according to the package directions. (I begin heating my water while preparing the brussel sprouts, and added the pasta to the boiling water just after beginning to cook the sausage.) Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water (reserving 1/4 cup pasta water), and then toss together the pasta, pesto, cooked sausage and garlic, and brussels sprouts. Add in some of the reserved pasta water if needed for extra moisture.
- 5Serve warm, and sprinkle with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition — Per Serving
765
calories
25g
protein
21g
fat
- Carbohydrates
- 122g
- Saturated fat
- 3.4g
- Sodium
- 169 mg
- Dietary fiber
- 9.9g
4 servings per batch · ~333g each
Macro data sourced from USDA FoodData Central
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How much protein does Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Roasted Brussels Sprouts have per serving?
Each serving delivers 25g of protein and 765 calories, with 21g fat and 122g carbs. The high carbohydrate content makes this a meal best timed around training when you need glycogen replenishment.
How long does Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Roasted Brussels Sprouts take to prep?
Quick prep time batches 4 servings at once on the stovetop, making this efficient for dinner meal prep. Each portion is complete and ready to reheat throughout the week.
Is Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Roasted Brussels Sprouts good for muscle gain?
At 765 calories and 122g carbs per serving, this pasta dish is well-suited for muscle gain phases where you're in a caloric surplus and need carbs to fuel training intensity. The 25g protein per serving is moderate, so pair this with additional protein sources to hit daily totals.
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