Sausage Peppers Pasta (Printer-Friendly)

Savor sausage and bell peppers tossed with pasta in a rich tomato sauce with aromatic herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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
16 - Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. 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 until browned and fully cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add sliced bell peppers and onions. Cook for 5 to 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 for 3 to 4 minutes, adding reserved pasta water if sauce is too thick.
07 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly. Heat through for 1 to 2 minutes.
08 - Plate the pasta and garnish with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and feels like you've been cooking all day.
  • One skillet does almost all the work, which means less cleanup and more time eating.
  • The sausage releases its own fat, flavoring everything else without needing extra oil.
02 -
  • Don't wash out your skillet between cooking the sausage and the vegetables—those browned bits are flavor gold and should stay in the pan.
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining; that starchy liquid is like pasta insurance, helping the sauce cling and coat evenly instead of sitting separately.
03 -
  • If your pan seems crowded when you add the pasta, that's actually ideal—less surface area means sauce coats rather than evaporates.
  • Taste the sauce before the pasta goes in and adjust seasoning then; it's harder to fix salt levels once everything is mixed together.
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