Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta
A flavour-packed Spicy Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta with roasted red bell peppers, garlic, white wine and tomato passata. Quick, comforting, and ready in 35 minutes. Most of all delicious!
I’d love your feedback – just click on the stars to rate this recipe! ⭐
Ingredients
- 400 g rigatoni (or other short-cut pasta)
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 300 g Italian salsiccia sausage, casings removed and coarsely chopped
- 100 ml dry white wine
- 150 g roasted red bell peppers, diced (from a jar or delicatessen, approx. 3 peppers)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 x 680 ml jar tomato passata (strained tomato sauce)
- 20 g freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (1/4 cup)
- sea salt, to taste
Method
-
Sauté the Aromatics: In a large deep non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
-
Brown the Salsiccia: Increase the heat slightly, add the sausage, and cook for 5 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it browns.
-
Build the Sauce: Pour in the wine and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, until mostly evaporated. Stir in the grilled red peppers, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes (if using), and a pinch of salt. Cook for another 1–2 minutes.
-
Add the tomato passata, stir to combine, and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
-
Cook the Pasta: Let the sauce simmer gently while you prepare the pasta. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the pasta water, then drain.
-
Combine and Finish: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, gently tossing to coat. Stir in the parmesan cheese and add a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen and smooth out the sauce.
-
Serve immediately, topped with extra parmesan. Enjoy!
Notes
- My favorite Italian saussage for this recipe is Salsiccia Peperoncino, which is mildly spicy.
How to Roast Bell Peppers Yourself:
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F). Halve the peppers, rub them with olive oil, and place them skin-side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Roast on the top rack for about 20–25 minutes, or until the skins are blistered and charred.
- Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly, and let them steam. Once cooled, peel off the skin, remove the seeds, and slice into strips and use as directed in the recipe above.
For a relaxing atmosphere in the kitchen I recommend my personal Elle Republic: Chilled Out Kitchen Tunes Playlist on Spotify.