Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta

This quick weeknight recipe is a twist on traditional Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta with a combination of ground Italian sausage, pasta, and peppers.

It is full of flavor yet simple to make.

Italian Sausage Pasta Recipe

This recipe is so straightforward and delicious that it’s a favorite in our family’s kitchen week after week.

It is adapted to create a wonderfully Italian family dinner that will leave you looking like a kitchen rockstar.

It could be a dinner party with friends or family on a Wednesday evening!

Regardless of who you are creating a meal for, they will feel the heart and soul of this recipe.

Gather the ingredients listed below and you and your guests can take a tour of Italy with less than an hour of preparation in the kitchen.

The most challenging part of the meal will be selecting which bottle of wine to open.

Ingredients

• ground Italian sausage
• olive oil
• zucchini
• red bell pepper – other peppers work well too
• rotini pasta – or any pasta of your choice
• ricotta cheese, part-skim
• spices: basil, sage, parsley, minced onion, salt & pepper
• parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Recipe Tips

• Get creative with your pasta try, penne, farfalle, or rigatoni pasta to find your favorite!
• Add in orange or yellow bell pepper and vegetables for more color.
• Complete the meal by pairing it with a lettuce salad and Italian bread.

How to make Italian sausage and peppers pasta

In a large skillet, cook sausage until brown.

Remove sausage; drain and set aside.

Use the same skillet to heat olive oil; add zucchini and red pepper.

Cook over medium heat until tender but still crisp, about 3-4 minutes.

Cook the rotini noodles according to the directions on the package.

Drain and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.

Add cooked pasta to the skillet and stir in the ricotta. Pour in ½ cup pasta water and stir until creamy.

Fold in basil, sage, onion, and parsley; add salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in the cooked sausage; add more pasta water if the mixture is too dry.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

How to cook Italian sausage for pasta

When cooking Italian sausage for pasta, we suggest using ground pasta without links or sausage casing.

Ground Italian sausage tends to cook faster and will save preparation time.

Simply brown the sausage in a pan until all of the sausage is browned. Make sure no pieces have pink in them.

Then, drain off the drippings. Draining the drippings will lower the amount of grease in your dish.

Italian ground pork without casing seasoned with red pepper flakes and fennel seed gives the Italian sausage its distinctive flavor.

What vegetables can I use with Italian sausage and pasta

Our Italian sausage and peppers pasta recipe calls for red bell pepper and zucchini.

But as any great chef (or simple-step novice cook) knows, it is essential to tailor your dish to your taste.

Onions, squash, bell peppers, and even mushrooms can all be added to elevate this recipe.

You can also be creative and include frozen vegetables.

Depending on the vegetable, you may want to partially prepare the frozen vegetable to keep it from still being frozen or getting too mushy.

What goes well with Italian sausage for dinner

To complete your Italian dinner in less than an hour, we suggest saving time and using garlic herb bread or baguette as your bread.

Offer a simple lettuce leaf salad with your preferred oil-based dressing and finish the evening with a glass of red wine.

Or try these roasted baby carrots for an extra vegetable kick.

Your guests will never know you created this masterpiece in under an hour.

When to make Italian sausage and pasta

You only need an hour to create this masterpiece recipe in simple steps.

Regardless of who you are creating a meal for, they will feel the heart and soul of this recipe.

While it’s not authentic Italian, it still has the spirit of a meal shared around a long wooden Italian family table.

Other recipes to try

This Easy Bierock Casserole combines ground pork, sausage, cabbage, cheddar cheese, and all the flavors of a classic bierock in a quick casserole with Pillsbury crescent rolls.

This easy Sausage and Rice Casserole is another favorite of ours.

Easy Sausage Noodle Casserole combines flavorful Italian sausage, tender noodles, and a creamy sauce for a comforting meal that the whole family will love.