Sausage Peppers Pasta Blend (Printable View)

Classic Italian-American dish with sausage, bell peppers, onions, and pasta in flavorful tomato sauce.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 large onion, thinly sliced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Pasta

07 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta

→ Sauce & Seasonings

08 - 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
12 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Others

14 - 2 tbsp olive oil
15 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
16 - Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add sliced bell peppers and onion. Cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and slightly caramelized.
04 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
06 - Return cooked sausage to the skillet and stir to combine. Simmer together for 3-4 minutes, adding reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
07 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Heat through for 1-2 minutes.
08 - Serve topped with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in 40 minutes, which means weeknight dinner that actually tastes like you tried.
  • The sausage gets crispy around the edges while the peppers turn sweet and soft, and somehow they make each other taste even better.
  • You'll have leftovers that are secretly better the next day when the flavors have gotten cozy together.
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain—it's the secret to a sauce that clings to the pasta instead of sitting in a pool at the bottom of the pan.
  • Don't skip the browning of the sausage; that caramelization is where half the flavor lives, and rushing it makes the whole dish taste flat.
03 -
  • Buy sausage from a butcher you trust; the quality difference between mass-produced and made-fresh sausage is everything, and it's where you should spend your money.
  • Don't crowd the skillet when you're browning the sausage—give it space so it gets crispy instead of steaming in its own juices, and work in batches if you need to.
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