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This sausage pasta recipe is a quick weeknight meal, ready in about 25 minutes. 

Italian sausage is browned with onion and simmered in a quick homemade sauce with sweet bell pepper and zesty tomatoes. Stir in some fresh herbs and a sprinkle of cheese for the perfect weeknight meal.

top view of Sausage Pasta in the pan

Italian Sausage Pasta

This is definitely a favorite easy pasta recipe in our family!

Hearty and heartwarming, this quick sauce goes from stovetop to tabletop in mere minutes! Don’t forget the cheesy garlic breadsticks, and a side of sautéed brussels sprouts!

ingredients to make Sausage Pasta

Ingredients and Variations

SAUCE Italian sausage, onions, peppers, and tomatoes are the base of this sauce! Toss in a few seasonings and spices and let it simmer until thickened. Perfection!

PASTA Mix in the pasta and serve it hot! This recipe calls for penne, bowties, or rotini, but feel free to make this sausage dish with any of your favorite kinds of pasta.

VARIATIONS One of the great things about this recipe is that it’s a great vehicle for leftovers! So leftover ground beef, turkey, or even cubes of ham can be used in place of the sausage. Nearly any kind of leftover veggies can be added, too.

sausage and tomatoes in a pan for pasta

How to Make Sausage Pasta

  1. Boil pasta until al dente (a little firm) per recipe below.
  2. Brown sausage and onion. Add bell pepper and garlic.
  3. Stir in tomatoes, sauce, paste, and seasonings, simmer.
  4. Add pasta to sausage mixture, simmer, and serve immediately with parmesan and cheese.

sausage pasta sauce with penne noodles

PRO TIP: For a really cheesy dish, top the prepared dish with mozzarella and parmesan cheese and broil 3-5 minutes.

close up of plated Sausage Pasta

Hearty Pasta Dishes

Did you make this Easy Sausage Pasta? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! 

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text
Sausage Pasta in a bowl with pan and bowl full in the background
5 from 23 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Quick and Easy Sausage Pasta

With Italian sausage, veggies, & sauce, this pasta dish is perfect for a weeknight meal!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author Holly Nilsson
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Ingredients  

  • 1 pound Italian sausage mild or hot
  • ½ onion sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juices
  • ½ cup tomato sauce
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 8 ounces medium pasta penne, bowties or rotini
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • grated Parmesan cheese and parsley for garnish, optional

Instructions 

  • Cook sausage and onion in a large skillet until no pink remains. Drain fat.
  • Add bell pepper and garlic, cook 2-3 minutes or until pepper begins to soften.
  • Stir in diced tomatoes with juices, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning. Simmer 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
  • Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water until al dente (do not overcook). Drain well.
  • Add pasta to sausage and simmer 1 minute. Garnish with parsley and parmesan if desired.

Notes

Leftover pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 
5 from 23 votes

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2.5cups | Calories: 672 | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1374mg | Potassium: 1092mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1479IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine American, Italian

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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5 from 23 votes (18 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  2. This was DELICIOUS!! We ate it two nights in a row with a green salad and garlic bread. My husband thought this was the best sauce ever! Quite a compliment since we’ve been married 56 years! ;) Can’t wait to get your cookbook, I ordered it on Amazon. Thanks Holly!5 stars

    Reply

  3. So delicious! Made it exactly as written,with mild sausage and mild red peppers, as my husband doesn’t like spicy food. I just added some crushed red peppers to my portion.
    Hollys recipes are excellent and easy! I have even created a file within my recipes app named “Holly’s”, so I can find anything of hers in a matter of seconds ((:5 stars

    Reply

  5. This is absolutely awesome. I used Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausage and only used about 6 ounces of rotini because my husband doesn’t like a lot of pasta in dishes. We loved it!! I love all your recipes, as does my husband. So glad I found you!!! Keep ’em coming!!!5 stars

    Reply

  6. I have to admit the photo got me. It reeled me in. It looked so pretty. I just made this and followed the recipe to a T, something I rarely do. It was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!! I will definitely be making this again. I used spicy sausage and it was a good choice.
    I have always been really happy with all of Holly’s recipes and don’t tweak them at all as they are always so good. Thanks Holly for another great dish!

    Reply