Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta Recipe
Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta made with hot Italian sausage, Calabrian chilies, and a rich tomato sauce, with the pasta finished right in the pan. Ready in 35 minutes, with a creamy option.
Servings: 6
Calories: 731kcal
Equipment
- Large pot for pasta
- Large deep skillet or Dutch oven
- Colander
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped (about 1 cup)
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Calabrian chili paste see notes for swaps
- 1/3 cup dry red wine optional, Chianti or Sangiovese
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes fire roasted if you can find them
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning or 1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano, thyme
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Finish
- 1 pound rigatoni or penne
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano or Parmesan plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup fresh basil torn
- 1/3 cup heavy cream optional, for a creamy version
Instructions
- Get a large pot of salted water going over high heat.
- Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the sausage and cook 5-6 minutes, breaking it up, until browned with crispy edges. This develops a lot of flavor. Pour off excess fat, but leave about 2 tablespoons in the pan.
- Add the onion and cook 3 minutes, then the garlic for 1 minute.
- Push everything to the sides of the pan. Add the tomato paste and Calabrian chili paste to the center and toast 1-2 minutes, until the tomato paste darkens, then stir through.
- Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits. Cook 1-2 minutes until mostly reduced.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a low boil, then simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring now and then. Season with salt and pepper at the end.
- While the sauce is simmering, add the pasta and cook it 1 minute shy of the package time.
- Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain. Add the pasta straight into the sauce with a good splash of the pasta water. Toss over medium heat 2 minutes so the pasta finishes in the sauce. The starch will thicken the sauce. Add more pasta water if it needs loosening.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter, then the pecorino, then the basil. For a creamy version, stir in 1/3 cup heavy cream at this point, before the basil. Serve with more cheese.
Notes
Heat Level. Medium as written. For milder, use sweet Italian sausage, skip the Calabrian paste, and cut the flakes to 1/2 teaspoon. For hotter, bump the Calabrian paste to 2 tablespoons, mince a Fresno, serrano, or hotter chili in with the onion.
Calabrian Chili Swaps. Use 1 tablespoon crushed Calabrian chilies in oil, mashed with a fork, or my homemade Calabrian chili paste. Otherwise: 2 tablespoons finely chopped jarred hot cherry peppers plus 1 teaspoon of the brine (closest match), 1½ teaspoons harissa, or 2 teaspoons sambal oelek. In a pinch, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes bloomed in the oil plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar stirred in at the end. The vinegar gives a touch of tang.
Want It Creamy? Stir 1/3 cup heavy cream into the finished sauce after the pecorino, off the heat. It tamps down the acidity and some of the heat and turns the sauce a rosy orange. Use 1/2 cup for fully creamy. Mascarpone works too, 2 tablespoons, for a richer pasta. Don't boil the sauce after adding the cream or it can break.
Got an extra 20 minutes? Let the sauce simmer 25-30 minutes for more flavor development before adding the pasta. But, this quick version tastes great for easy weeknight cooking.
Sausage. Use the best hot Italian sausage you can find. A butcher shop or Italian market sausage makes a big difference.
Storage. Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat with a splash of water or milk. I do not recommend freezing.
Nutrition
Calories: 731kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 900mg | Potassium: 886mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 825IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 199mg | Iron: 4mg