Description
Spicy Italian sausage pasta delivers robust Mediterranean flavors in a quick weeknight meal. Rich tomato sauce and tender noodles combine with zesty sausage for a satisfying dinner you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
- 8 oz (225 g) uncooked penne pasta
- ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 (14.5 oz/410 g) can diced tomatoes, with juices
- ½ cup (120 ml) chicken broth or dry white wine
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Fresh basil leaves, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Boil salted water in a large pot and cook penne until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Sausage Searing: Heat olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble Italian sausage and cook until golden-brown and fully cooked, breaking into small pieces.
- Aromatic Infusion: Add onions to the sausage, sauté until translucent. Introduce minced garlic and briefly toast to release its fragrant notes.
- Flavor Intensification: Deglaze the pan with chicken broth or white wine, scraping up caramelized bits from the skillet. Reduce liquid to concentrate flavors.
- Sauce Creation: Pour diced tomatoes with their juices into the skillet. Stream heavy cream and season with dried basil, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Simmer gently to meld flavors.
- Final Assembly: Combine cooked penne with the sauce, ensuring thorough coating. Stir in grated Parmesan until it melts completely and creates a creamy texture.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from heat, garnish with fresh basil leaves and optional Parmesan. Serve immediately while piping hot.
Notes
- Pasta Water Magic: Salt the water generously, as this is your first chance to season pasta from within, creating deeper flavor throughout the dish.
- Sausage Searing Technique: Break sausage into small pieces for maximum caramelization, ensuring each fragment develops a crispy, golden-brown exterior that adds incredible depth to the sauce.
- Cream Control: Add cream slowly and simmer gently to prevent separation, maintaining a smooth and luxurious sauce consistency without curdling.
- Spice Flexibility: Adjust red pepper flakes based on heat preference – start with a pinch and gradually increase for personalized spice level without overwhelming the other flavors.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 586
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 875 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 89 mg