This Easy Spicy Sausage Pasta is my go-to recipe when I want to make something super easy that everyone will love. Not only is it scrumptious, this dish takes less than half an hour to make. This easy, yet satisfying comfort food is perfect for the busiest of nights and is exactly what you need at the end of a long day.
The key to this dish’s flavor is in the meat sauce. The garlic, onion, EVOO, and herbs all contribute to the depth of flavor. But my favorite, the red wine, works together with the other ingredients to bring out additional flavors, especially from the tomatoes. Naturally, this sauce would not be complete without the heat and meat from the Italian sausages and red pepper flakes. Of course, you can calibrate the spiciness to your liking by substituting the hot Italian sausages with sweet Italian sausages, or modulating the quantity of red pepper flakes.
Enjoying easy, yet delicious spicy sausage pasta with a glass of wine is a great way to unwind when the day is nearly done. Scroll down to see how you can make this Easy Spicy Sausage Pasta in your own kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Pasta (e.g., Ziti, rigatoni, or penne)
- 1 lb Hot Italian Sausage
- 1/2 cup Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 (28oz) can Crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup Red wine (e.g., Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel)
- 1/2 cup Flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tsp Oregano
Instructions
Begin by cooking the pasta. I used ziti, but you can use other short pastas, such as rigatoni or penne. Even though the pasta cooking instructions usually tell you to bring the water to a boil first, then put the pasta into the water, I find the pasta cooks just fine even if I put the pasta in the the cold water first, then begin heating the water. Usually, the pasta is cooked al dente after about 25 minutes of cooking over medium heat. Or, follow the package instructions to cook the pasta al dente.
Once the pasta is cooking, begin making the sauce. Small dice the onion and mince the garlic. Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, minced garlic, and diced onion to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Remove Italian sausages from the casings and add them to the skillet. Break up the sausages with a wooden spoon. It is important to break them up quickly before they cook and become firm. Brown the sausages for 10 minutes.
Next, chop the flat-leaf parsley and add to the skillet with crushed tomatoes, oregano, and red wine. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for 10 minutes while stirring occasionally. I used the wine that I had in hand, which was Cabernet Syrah, but Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are other great choices when making the sauce.
When the pasta is ready, add it to the sauce and gently stir to combine. The spicy sausage pasta is ready to be served! Sprinkle on some parmesan cheese before serving.
If you like this recipe, you might also want to check out other pasta recipes, such as Chicken Broccoli Pasta in Vodka Sauce or Rich Creamy Spinach Pasta. Lastly, subscribe via email or follow on Instagram if you want to receive updates on latest recipes!
Easy Spicy Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb Pasta e.g., Ziti, Rigatoni, or Penne
- 1 lb Hot Italian sausages
- ½ cup Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Red pepper flakes optional
- 1 (28oz) can Crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup Red wine e.g., Cabernet sauvignon or Zinfandel
- ½ cup Flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tsp Oregano
Instructions
- Boil water in a big pot and cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions.
- Small dice the onion and mince the garlic. Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, minced garlic, and diced onion to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Remove Italian sausages from the casings and add them to the skillet. Break up the sausages with a wooden spoon immediately. Brown the sausages for 10 minutes.
- Chop the flat-leaf parsley and add to the skillet with crushed tomatoes, oregano and red wine. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for 10 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- When the pasta is ready, add it to the sauce and gently stir to combine. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.
