Sausage pasta is an easy Italian dinner recipe with a rich tomato sauce and sweet red peppers perfect made with pork or veggie sausages and served with a side salad.
Weeknight pasta for the win 🙌
I love this dish, it's so comforting and filling. This recipe came about because I was craving my sausage pasta bake but as much as I love that recipe I wanted something even quicker so I threw together this sausage pasta.
I used vegetarian sausages for this recipe because we're vegetarian during the week but you could easily switch them for pork sausages. You simply need to cook whichever ones you use according to the packet instructions.
The sauce is full of flavour from the balsamic vinegar and a pinch of sugar added before it's simmered for just 10 minutes or so until it's thickened and unctuous.
Why we love this recipe:
- This can be made with either pork sausages or vegetarian sausages so it's great if you need a vegetarian recipe
- It's so easy to make and just requires a few simple steps
- It can be easily customised by adding extra veggies to make it even healthier
- You can prep this dish ahead by making the sauce, cooking the pasta and sausages as part of meal prep and then stirring together and reheating when you're ready to eat
Ingredients
- Sausages: Use pork or vegetarian or any other type of sausages you like
- Dried Oregano
- Red Onion: Finely chopped, use white onions if you prefer
- Tomato Puree
- Red Pepper: Or use another colour if you like
- Pasta: I like rigatoni for this recipe but you could use any cut you like
- Chopped Tomatoes
- Balsamic Vinegar: For an added hint of tangy sweetness
- Sugar
How to make it
- Cook the sausages and pasta: Cook the sausages according to the packets instructions. Boil the pasta until al dente.
- Make the sauce: Fry the onion and pepper over a medium heat then add the garlic, oregano, balsamic and tomato puree followed by the chopped tomatoes and sugar and bring to a simmer.
- Finish the dish: Take a mugful of pasta water before draining the pasta. Add the pasta and pasta water to the sauce with the chopped sausages and serve.
Expert tips
- Add extra veggies to this pasta if you like. Broccoli or spinach would work really well
- Use whatever sausages you like. I used vegetarian sausages and they were delicious
- To make this recipe gluten free simply use your favourite gluten free pasta
- To make this recipe vegan make sure that your veggie sausages are suitable for vegans and leave off the parmesan when serving
FAQs
Variations
You can use this pasta and sauce recipe as a base for any protein. If you don't fancy sausages then try out chopped up chicken, salmon or even tofu.
What to do with leftovers
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat in a pot on the hob or in the microwave. You might need to add a splash of water to loosen up the sauce.
Can you freeze leftovers?
Yes, you can freeze the leftovers of this pasta. Just leave to cool completely in an airtight container then place in the freezer and leave in there for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly and then reheat before eating.
What sides go well with this pasta?
Of course garlic bread is a classic with pasta. Or even these delicious garlicky dough balls. Or if you want something lighter then why not go with a simple side salad?
What else can I make with sausages?
Sausages (meaty or veggie) are a great ingredient to add to loads of dishes. I love them in this sausages tray bake, this vegetarian sausage casserole or this toad in the hole!
Want more? Try these other pasta recipes!
- Chickpea Pasta with Roasted Broccoli Sauce
- Smoked Mackerel Pasta Salad with Asparagus
- Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta
- Roasted Garlic Spaghetti with Kale
- Pasta with Squid and Tomato Sauce
- 15 Minute Spicy Salmon Linguine
Sausage Pasta with Peppers & Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 Sausages meat or vegetarian
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ tablespoon Dried Oregano
- 1 clove Garlic crushed
- 1 Red Onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Puree
- 1 Red Pepper sliced
- 300 g Rigatoni
- 1 400g tin Chopped Tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- Salt and Pepper
- Parmesan to serve
Instructions
- Cook the sausages according to packet instructions. Put a pot of salted water on for the pasta.
- Heat the oil over a medium heat and add the onion and pepper and cook until softened. Add the garlic, oregano, balsamic and tomato puree and cook for another couple of minutes then pour in the chopped tomatoes, add the sugar and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes.
- While the sauce cooks add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to packet instructions. Slice the sausages.
- Remove a mugful of pasta cooking water before draining the pasta. Add the pasta and the mugful of pasta water to the sauce and toss together. Serve with grated parmesan.
Notes
Like the look of this recipe? Make sure you pin it for later!
Danielle Wolter says
the photos of that pasta are making me hungry! It looks so delicious. What a simple easy weeknight dinner!
Helen @ family-friends-food.com says
This looks great - just the sort of dish that would be a weeknight dinner hit in our family!
Demeter says
Pasta is always a winner in our house! I love the idea of adding extra veggies since we'll have to omit the sausage. Looks fantastic!
Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder says
Perfect midweek pasta dinner and your photos look so inviting! I really like recipes which are so easy to adapt to one's diet and content of the fridge. Delicious!
Heidy L. McCallum says
I enjoy a good American-Italian dish any day of the week. My family ( grandmother/Mother) is originally from Bellosguardo, Italy. Many of the dishes we enjoy here that we would never find in Italy, however, what people do not understand is when families moved here to the states they could not obtain many ingredients they once had access to. Also suddenly they had a new world of many differnt types of meat they once could not access. This is the Italian most of us 1st and 2nd generation grew up on. I made this recipe and it turned out great. The entire family enjoyed it.