Quick Sausage and Peppers Pasta
Satisfying, flavorful, and supremely easy to make, this is a restaurant-worthy main in about 25 minutes!
Ingredients
- 10 ounces pasta any short type
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage see note
- 1 large bell pepper any color, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (15 ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes see note
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan plus more for serving
- red pepper flakes, fresh basil, fresh parsley optional garnishes
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add a generous pinch of salt, followed by the pasta. Cook just to al dente, according to package directions. Reserve a small amount of pasta water, then drain off the rest and set aside.10 ounces pasta
- Meanwhile, warm a small drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add sausage and start breaking it up into small pieces.extra-virgin olive oil, 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
- After 1-2 minutes, when the sausage starts to brown, add the diced pepper, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 4-5 minutes, until the sausage is browned and the veggies are tender.1 large bell pepper, 1/2 medium yellow onion, kosher salt and black pepper
- Stir in the tomato paste and garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant.1/4 cup tomato paste, 3-4 cloves garlic
- Pour in the crushed or diced tomatoes and the Parmesan. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits.1 (15 ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
- Let the liquid come to a gentle bubble. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until thickened slightly, then sample and season with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Add drained pasta to the sauce and stir well to combine. If the sauce thickened too much, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water to stretch it back out.
- Serve right away with a sprinkle of fresh herbs, more Parmesan, red pepper, etc. Enjoy!red pepper flakes, fresh basil, fresh parsley
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Notes
- Sausage: We prefer this with mild or sweet Italian sausage, but any type will work: sweet, mild, spicy, etc. For best results, buy sausage not in its casing, that you can just remove from its packaging, put straight into the skillet, and start to crumble, like ground meat. If you can’t find that, buy un-cooked Italian sausages, cut open the casings (it should be just a thin layer that slices and peels back easily), and shake or scrape the inside out into the pan.
- Tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes will yield a smoother sauce, but we also like the effect of using diced tomatoes for a little more texture. If using diced tomatoes, be sure not to strain them—you should include all juices from the can in the sauce.
- Seasoning: This recipe is written with a relatively small amount of salt, pepper, and other seasonings, because depending on the quality and flavor of your sausage, you may not need a lot extra. You could even find a lot of extra seasonings overpowering! As always, let taste be your guide—if you finish the dish, sample, and find it lacking in flavor, add a pinch of salt and/or pepper, or basil, etc., until it tastes good to you.
- Storage: Sausage pepper pasta keeps well in the fridge for at least 3-4 days. Warm in small saucepan or in the microwave (full power is fine) as needed. Fresh Parm and herbs help make each portion good as new!
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 683 kcal, Carbohydrates: 55 g, Protein: 29 g, Fat: 39 g, Saturated Fat: 14 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 17 g, Cholesterol: 92 mg, Sodium: 1395 mg, Potassium: 879 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 8 g, Vitamin A: 1371 IU, Vitamin C: 56 mg, Calcium: 179 mg, Iron: 4 mg