Cheesy, saucy, and meaty, this Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta recipe is a dinner time hit any day of the week!
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Table of contents
- Why you'll LOVE this sweet Italian sausage pasta:
- Sausage and pepper pasta ingredients:
- How to make Italian sausage and peppers pasta:
- Pasta with sausage, peppers, and onions recipe pro-tips:
- Using other types of sausage:
- Making this recipe gluten-free:
- Refrigerating, freezing, and heating directions:
- Tools needed to make this recipe:
- More easy pasta recipes:
As I announced on Instagram a few weeks ago, the secret it out: I'm pregnant! Though I won't bore you with the details, let me just say that pregnancy has been a real journey so far. But thing is for sure: canned tomatoes definitely are one of my main cravings!
I can't get enough of the saucy, rich, savory flavor. Ideally with some fresh basil and mozzarella cheese, I'll take it in any format: on a Margherita pizza, in a Caprese salad, baked up in gnocchi alla Sorrentina (coming soon!), or starring in this sausage with peppers and onions pasta.
The tomato, cheese, and herb combination is dreamy but it's elevated to a-whole-nother celestial plane when combined with sweet Italian sausage, peppers, and onions. Stir in some tender linguine and add a bit of dimension with dried red pepper flakes, and you have a memorable pasta meal that may have you sold on my favorite flavor combination, too!
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Why you'll LOVE this sweet Italian sausage pasta:
- Easy to make: this recipe takes just a few simple steps and less than 30 minutes to get on the table!
- Satisfying: with veggies, protein, and pasta, this Italian sausage and peppers pasta is a complete meal that will fill you up and energize you!
- Great Italian flavor: delicious Italian flavor with just a handful of easy-to-find ingredients? Sign me up!
- Delicious year-round: this meal is homey and comforting enough for a cold winter night but simple enough to make (and it won't head up the kitchen) for a delicious summer meal.
Sausage and pepper pasta ingredients:
- Linguine - your favorite brand of dried linguine (Barilla is my preferred) is what we're looking for here.
- Sweet Italian pork sausage - bulk or cased raw sausages are best for this recipe. If using cased sausages, you will want to squeeze the sausage out of the casing before sautéing it.
- Sweet peppers - any combination of red, orange, or yellow peppers will do.
- Onions - yellow or white onions are best. Cut the onions into uniform sizes so they cook up evenly.
- Canned Roma plum tomatoes - the better the quality of tomatoes you use for this recipe, the better the flavor will be. I love Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes. They are a bit pricey but their flavor is unparalleled amongst what you can find here in the States.
- Red pepper flakes - adds a bit of heat to the recipe without being overwhelming. Even if you don't like spicy food, I recommend you don't skip on this ingredient.
- Fresh mozzarella cheese - soft, tender, and provides a delicious savory flavor to this recipe.
- Fresh basil - what is an Italian dish without basil? Fresh basil elevates this recipe to the next level.
- Olive oil - extra virgin olive oil, if you have it, is best for this recipe.
- Garlic - fresh minced garlic is best, but bottled or pureed garlic paste can work in a pinch.
How to make Italian sausage and peppers pasta:
For the complete recipe and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cook the linguine in heavily salted water for 2 minutes less than directed on the package directions.
- Sauté the onions and peppers in the olive oil until the onions just start to soften.
- Add the sausage to the onions and peppers and cook until the sausage is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the sausage and pepper mixture. Sauté until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes, granulated sugar, and salt to the pepper mixture. Simmer until the sauce has reduced.
- Stir the drained pasta into the sauce. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sauce has reduced by half.
- Turn off the heat. Gently stir in the mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. Season with additional salt and freshly cracked pepper, if necessary, and serve hot.
Pasta with sausage, peppers, and onions recipe pro-tips:
- Properly salt the pasta water. If you've never adequately salted your pasta water before, you will be blown away by how much flavor salting the water can add to the flavor of your pasta! You want to add at least 1 tablespoon of salt for every 2 quarts of water that you boil.
- Don't boil the pasta all the way. Since we will be simmering the pasta in the tomato sauce for another few minutes, we want to slightly under boil the pasta. The pasta will absorb the rest of the moisture in the sauce, making it perfectly tender and al dente.
Using other types of sausage:
- Hot Italian sausage - for a little extra kick, this pasta with sausage peppers and onions recipe can also be made with hot Italian sausage. Either chicken or pork will work; just make sure to use bulk sausage or raw cased sausages.
- Sweet Italian chicken sausage - for a lighter flavor and fewer calories and fat, you can use sweet Italian chicken sausage. Once again, just use bulk or raw cased sausages (already cooked sausages won't work well for this recipe).
Other recipe substitutions:
- Making this recipe with other pasta - this sausage onion and peppers pasta recipe can be made with fettuccine or spaghetti pasta in place of the linguine. If doing so, still adjust the cooking time for both of the pastas, cooking 2 minutes less than directed on the package.
- Mozzarella - part skim or whole milk mozzarella cheese, which is slightly firmer and lower in moisture than fresh mozzarella cheese, can substitute for the fresh mozzarella in a pinch. The texture and consistency is more firm so you may have to melt the cheese more in the pasta before serving, but otherwise the flavor and experience should be very similar!
Making this recipe gluten-free:
This Italian sausage and peppers with pasta recipe is very easily made gluten-free. Just substitute gluten-free linguine (or another gluten-free long pasta shape) for the traditional linguine and follow the recipe as directed.
Refrigerating, freezing, and heating directions:
- Refrigerating: leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Freezing: remaining pasta can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: reheat the sausage onion pepper pasta on 60-75% heat in the microwave in 1-2 minute intervals, stirring between the intervals, until the pasta is heated through.
Tools needed to make this recipe:
- Cutting board
- Chef knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Stock pot or Dutch oven
- Large non-stick skillet
- Heat-safe spatula
- Silicone tongs
More easy pasta recipes:
- Lemon Ricotta Pasta
- Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
- No Boil Pasta Bake with Turkey
- Cheesy Baked Italian Sausage Pasta
- Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
- Easy Homemade Tomato Pasta Sauce
More Italian Sausage Recipes
- Air Fryer Italian Sausage
- Sweet Potato & Sausage Frittata
If you made and liked this recipe, don't forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went for you in the comments! It always makes my day to hear from you!
Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta
Email FacebookCheesy, saucy, and meaty, this Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta recipe is a dinner time hit any day of the week!
Ingredients
- 8 oz. dried linguine
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large sweet peppers red, orange, or yellow, thinly sliced
- 1 medium white or yellow onion halved and thinly sliced
- 1 lb. raw sweet Italian pork sausage bulk or removed from sausage casings
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1, 28 oz. can whole Roma plum tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
- ¾ teaspoon granulated white sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese cubed
- ½ cup sliced fresh basil
- Additional salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a stock pot or Dutch oven of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the linguine and cook for 2 minutes less than the time dictated on the package. Drain.
- While the pasta boils: heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 12-inch deep sauté skillet over medium-high heat until simmering. Add the peppers and onions and sauté, stirring continuously, for 5-6 minutes, or until the onions start to soften.
- Add the sausage to the onions and peppers and cook, crumbling the sausage as you stir, for 4-5 minutes or until the sausage is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the sausage and pepper mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously, or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes, granulated sugar, and salt to the pepper mixture. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 3-4 minutes, crushing the tomatoes as you cook, or until the sauce has reduced ⅓ of the volume. Turn the heat to medium.
- Stir the drained pasta into the sauce. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sauce has reduced by half.
- Turn off the heat. Gently stir in the mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. Season with additional salt and freshly cracked pepper, if necessary, and serve hot.
Notes
1. Leftovers keep covered in a airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. They can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/10 of the recipeCalories: 333kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 17gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 676mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5g
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