Sausage and Pasta

Sausage and Pasta is one of my quick and easy standby meals. The intensely flavored and filling recipe is the perfect choice for a weeknight dinner. Tasty pieces of spicy Italian sausage smothered in a tomato sauce with the perfect blend of seasonings over penne pasta presents a healthy and comforting meal. You’ll relish each mouthful of this easy recipe.

Contents… Sausage and Pasta Combination Different Kinds of Pasta for Sausage Sausage & Pasta Ingredients Alternative Ingredients Making Ahead Storage and Reheating Instructions What to Pair with Sausage and Pasta? Other Pasta Recipes You’ll Love How to Make Sausage & Pasta Watch How To Make It

With life getting back to something almost normal, work and classes are back in session. Unless, of course, you’re on vacation. This sausage and pasta recipe is super-easy and fast comfort food that can be on the table in 45 minutes or less.

With a large variety of sausages and kinds of pasta, you can change up this recipe in a heartbeat to something you wouldn’t even recognize as being the same. The Italians are the pasta experts with over 50 types of pasta, from angel hair to ziti. And there are almost as many types of sausage.

Sausage and Pasta Combination

Sausage goes with almost everything. I love the spiciness, but you already know that. 😉 Pasta is a fast and easy way to get a filling dinner on the table. Then, when you put the two together, and you have an incredible one-pot meal.

Different Kinds of Pasta for Sausage

My preference is penne pasta because it stays on my fork or spoon and isn’t nearly as messy as spaghetti. And it’s just so cute on the plate. However, you can use almost any pasta with this dish.

Noodles are another one of my favorites, fettuccini topping the list. The name in Italian means ribbons, and that’s exactly what it looks like. It’s so beautiful on a plate covered with Alfredo sauce.

My son loves mac and cheese, so I always have a stash of macaroni in the pantry. It’s so versatile that it goes well in almost any dish that asks for pasta. The macaroni that looks like little corkscrews holds onto the sauce better for some dishes.

Whether you choose noodles, macaroni, shells, or other styles, this recipe will wow your family with how delicious it is, and you will wow yourself at how fast and easy it is.

Sausage & Pasta Ingredients

• Pasta – The delicious base for this recipe that calms hunger and makes the family happy.
• Olive, Canola Oil, and Butter -These oils are the healthiest options for sauteeing veggies and sauces. And the flavor is incredibly delicious.
• Italian Sausage – My favorite sausage is a mix of ground beef and pork with just the right amount of fat to be good and juicy. Italian spices and a bit of red pepper, and you have a mouthwatering protein.
• Onion – A sweet-savory vegetable loaded with health benefits adds a special zing to Italian food. Here’s my How to Cut Onions.
• Thyme – This incredible herb is a member of the mint family, right alongside oregano and sage. While I prefer it fresh, dried is what I usually have on hand. It adds as much aroma to the recipe as it does flavor.
• Creole Cajun Seasoning – If you haven’t noticed already, this is my go-to spice mix. Its flavor just goes with so many foods. And it’s so easy to make your own and adjust to your tastes.
• Italian Seasoning – The perfect blend of garlic, oregano, basil, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme (OK, I couldn’t resist the reference to Simon & Garfunkle) just makes life easier when cooking up an Italian dish. Just so you know, this is another herb blend that’s better to make your own.
• Chili Pepper Flakes – The main difference in using ground chili pepper and chili pepper flakes is the presentation. The heat and flavor are about the same, but the flakes make it more attractive.
• Garlic – The pungent spiciness adds depth to Italian dishes and most ethnic cuisine, for that matter
• Tomato Paste – Adding tomato paste to sauces reduces cooking time and intensifies the tomato flavor.
• Roma Tomatoes – Fresh Roma tomatoes make the perfect sauce. They are drier than regular tomatoes, which helps reduces cooking time to get the perfect texture for your sauce.
• Bell Peppers – Sweeter and milder than their hotter siblings, bell peppers add an earthy taste to soups and stews. They’re great raw on a salad, too. They come in several colors, green (the unripe pepper), red, yellow, and orange.
• Chicken Broth – Broth, whatever it’s made from, does the same job as water but with more flavor.
• Basil – Fresh and dried have different flavors. Fresh basil has a slight anise flavor, while dried basil is a little more earthy. I love them both.

Alternative Ingredients

• Onion – This savory vegetable can easily be replaced with leeks, shallots, or even celery. Here’s my How to Cut Onions.
• Thyme – When I run out of thyme, I look for oregano or bay leaves. Or you can increase the Italian seasoning by the same amount to replace it.
• Tomatoes – I have replaced tomatoes with roasted red peppers before. I added a dash of apple cider vinegar to replace the acidity, and no one noticed the difference. If you only have canned tomatoes (fire-roasted?😋), go for it. Here’s my How to cut Tomatoes.
• Bell Peppers – I’m not real picky about what kind of peppers I put in. If I have banana peppers or another type of sweet pepper, it will go in the pot. I especially love the aji dulce that goes in Arroz con Gandules. Be careful not to get the wrong pepper, though, because it looks like a habanero.
• Chicken broth – Beef broth, vegetable broth, or bone broth all taste wonderful in this recipe.

Making Ahead Storage and Reheating Instructions

This is awesome the next day. If you want to make it for a holiday meal and save yourself some hassle the day of, you can make it the night before. Save some of the pasta water just in case it needs a little extra moisture when you reheat it slowly in a large pot.

Yes, you can freeze it. Store it in an airtight freezer container for up to three months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and heat in a saucepan when you’re ready. If it’s too dry, add a little chicken broth.

What to Pair with Sausage and Pasta?

Fresh homemade bread, either my no-knead bread or melt-in-your-mouth garlic knot bread and Greek salad, are what I usually serve with this meal.

Other Pasta Recipes You’ll Love

• Fettuccine Alfredo – The creamy Alfredo sauce made with cream and cheese (does it get any better?) over buttery fettuccine is my idea of a super-easy date night dinner.
• Blackened Shrimp & Pasta – I love seafood, but you already know that. Spicy shrimp with spaghetti makes the whole family jump for joy.
• Chicken Pasta Bake – Talk about easy! Creamy and cheesy sauce, pasta, and juicy chicken coming fresh out of the oven is my idea of perfect comfort food.
• Rasta Pasta – Jamaican seasoning makes this impressive dish a tropical flair. Add cream, and it just got 100 times better.

How to Make Sausage & Pasta

Cooking the Pasta and Sausage

• The pasta – First, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to box instructions. Pasta should be al dente (slightly under cooked, but still firm to the touch).
• Drain the pasta, reserving about 1-2 cups of pasta water. Set aside.
• The sausage – Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon of olive oil. Place the sausage in the pan and brown on both sides, moving and turning around in the pan regularly, so it browns evenly for about 2-4 minutes. (Photos 1 & 2)
• Finish the sausage – Gently pour about ⅓ cup water (you can use the pasta water) into the skillet to prevent the sausage from sticking to the pan and burning. Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until it’s almost cooked. The sausage will finish cooking with the pasta.
• Cut the sausage up – Remove the sausage from the pan, put it on a cutting board, and slice it into desired-sized pieces. Set aside.
• Prepare the sauce – Drain all excess liquid from the fry-pan, making sure it is dry.
• Season it – Add butter, followed by onions, thyme, Creole seasoning, Italian seasoning, and chili flakes. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes. (Photo 3 & 4)

Adding the Tomatoes

• Add garlic and tomato paste, continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. (Photo 5 & 6)
• Throw in the diced tomatoes and continue cooking. Add a tiny bit of water if the pan gets is too dry. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes. (Photos 7 & 8)

Adding the Sausage

• Add the sausage – Return the sausage and any accumulated juice back to the skillet, followed by bell pepper. (Photos 9 – 12)

Cooking the Sauce and Adding the Pasta

• Finish the sauce – Stir in the broth and cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the sausage is cooked through and sauce thickens. Lightly season with salt and pepper. (Photo 13).
• Add the al dente pasta to the skillet and mix well, so every bit of pasta is coated with sauce. Add the reserved pasta liquid as needed. Reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste. (Photo 14).
• Garnish the pasta with basil and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Watch How To Make It

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