Sausage and Pepper Pasta

Here I show you how to turn the classic ‘Sausage and Peppers’ into the most delicious pasta recipe imaginable!

This is certainly one of the more simple pasta recipes I’ve uploaded, but it’s still so darn tasty. If you’re already a fan of sausage and peppers, this pasta is yours for the taking. Never had sausage and peppers? Your life is about to change for the better. Follow me…

Italian Sausages

Sausage and peppers is an American-Italian dish, so you’re really looking to use Italian sausages. If you’re reading this from the UK you know we’re not blessed with a good range of Italian sausages, but I’ve added some options in the recipe card notes, so fear not. In all cases though try and grab some good quality sausages – they are the star of the show after all!

Pan Fried Sausages

As you fry the sausages they’ll release a good amount of fat, which is what we want. Because fat = flavour! This leftover fat not only makes the perfect base for the sauce, but is also great to fry the peppers in.

This step is more so to brown the sausages and render down that fat. Don’t focus too much on cooking them right through, they’ll finish cooking as they simmer in the sauce.

Process shots: add sausages to hot pan with olive oil (photo 1), fry until browned all over then remove (photo 2).

Sausage and Peppers Pasta

The pasta sauce itself is incredibly simple. Here’s a quick low-down:

Tomato Sauce

The sauce is tomato based, for which I use canned plum tomatoes. You can use chopped tomatoes, I just find plum tomatoes slightly sweeter. In both cases make sure you swill out the cans with water to help thin the sauce out! I also add in some tomato paste to deepen the tomato flavour. It’s important to fry the paste for a couple of minutes to sweeten its flavour.

Seasoning

You’ll find the sausages themselves actually season the sauce pretty well! Alongside this though I like throwing in some dried oregano & basil, garlic, chilli flakes and a good helping of fresh parsley! All of which really help enhance the Italian flavours of the sausages.

Simmer the Sauce!

Really important step is simmering the sauce for around 30mins. This will not only help reduce and thicken the sauce, but it also gives chance for all the flavours to marry together.

Process shots: fry onions & peppers in sausage fat (photo 1), fry garlic (photo 2), fry tomato paste (photo 3), add in tomatoes and seasoning (photo 4), add in cooked sausage (photo 5), simmer (photo 6), stir in pasta (photo 7), stir in parsley and parmesan (photo 8).

Serving Sausage and Peppers Pasta

If at all you find you’ve simmered the sauce a little too long and the sauce thickens too much, just add a splash of the starchy water you cook the pasta in.

To serve, I like to sprinkle extra parmesan and parsley over individual portions. If you want to, you can also drizzle over some good quality extra virgin olive oil too!

Fancy more of a rustic sausage and peppers pasta? Why not try making your own Homemade Sausages!

For more similar recipes check out these beauties:

Sausage Pasta Recipes

• Sausage and Fennel Pasta
• Creamy Tomato Sausage Pasta
• Sausage Ragu with Pappardelle
• Penne Arrabiata with Smoked Sausage
• Sausage Orecchiette
• Sausage Harissa Pasta

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this sausage and peppers pasta shall we?!

How to make Sausage and Pepper Pasta (Full Recipe & Video)

5 from 3 votes

Sausage and Pepper Pasta

By: Chris Collins

Here I show you how to turn the classic 'Sausage and Peppers' into the most delicious pasta recipe imaginable!

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 45 minutes mins

Total: 55 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Equipment

• Large Skillet & Wooden Spoon
• Large Pot & Colander
• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
• Fine Cheese Grater

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 10.5oz / 300g Short Cut Pasta (here I use Casarecce)
• ▢ 14oz / 400g Italian Sausages (see notes)
• ▢ 2x 14oz / 400g cans of Peeled Plum Tomatoes
• ▢ 3 small/medium Peppers, cored & sliced (preferably 3 different colours)
• ▢ 1 medium White Onion, sliced
• ▢ 2 heaped tbsp Tomato Paste (Tomato Puree in UK)
• ▢ 2 fat cloves of Garlic, finely diced/minced
• ▢ 1 tsp EACH: Dried Oregano, Dried Basil
• ▢ 1/4 cup / 20g freshly grated Parmesan, plus more to serve
• ▢ ~ 1/4 cup finely diced Fresh Parsley, save some to serve
• ▢ Olive Oil, as needed
• ▢ Salt & Pepper, to taste
• ▢ pinch of Chilli Flakes, to taste

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• In a large pan over medium-high heat add a drizzle of olive oil then place in your sausages. Fry until deep golden all over, turning frequently, then remove from the pan leaving the fat behind. Rest then slice just before needed. Don't worry about cooking the sausages right through, this is just about browning the outside and rendering down the fat.
• Add in peppers & onion and fry until they begin to soften and lightly brown. Lower heat slightly, then make space in the centre for the garlic and fry for 1-2mins until it just begins to pick up colour. Stir in tomato paste and fry for another couple of minutes.
• Pour in tomatoes then fill one of the cans about half the way up with water. Use this to swill out the cans and pour that in too. Add in oregano, basil, salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Give it a stir and burst some of the tomatoes with your wooden spoon. Stir in the slices of sausage then lower heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 30mins, stirring occasionally & gently bursting the chunks of tomato as needed. This time is important to reduce the sauce and marry all the flavours together.
• Meanwhile, pop your pasta in heavily salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Retain a cup of the pasta water just before draining.
• Stir pasta into the sauce, then sprinkle in parmesan & parsley and give it all another good stir. If you need to thin out the sauce slightly just add a splash of starchy pasta water (discard otherwise).
• Serve up with extra parmesan & parsley!

Video

Notes

a) Italian Sausages - We're not blessed with a wide range of Italian sausages in UK supermarkets. If you're in the UK you'll find Italian/Italian inspired sausages in Asda and Waitrose. Failing that just get some nice herby sausages. If you're in the US you can use mild or spicy Italian sausage links depending on your spice preference. In all cases 14oz/400g is around 6 sausages.

b) Homemade Sausage - If you want to take this recipe to the next level you can whip up your very own Homemade Sausages! They're Italian style and so easy to make.

c) Tomatoes - I like to use canned plum tomatoes because they're ever-so-slightly sweeter than chopped tomatoes. You can use chopped though if that's what you have. In all cases if you find the tomatoes you're using slightly acidic just add a pinch of sugar.

d) Calories - based on whole recipe divided by 4 using 1/2 tbsp olive oil to fry the sausages.

Your Private Notes:

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Nutrition

Calories: 703kcal | Carbohydrates: 71.9g | Protein: 23.53g | Fat: 36.56g | Saturated Fat: 12.666g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5.111g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16.37g | Trans Fat: 0.056g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 958mg | Potassium: 910mg | Fiber: 12.1g | Sugar: 6.92g | Vitamin A: 2440IU | Vitamin C: 89.1mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 3.1mg

Looking for more?

You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’

If you loved this Sausage and Peppers Recipe then be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a question? Give me a shout in the comments and pick up your free ecookbook along the way!