Sausage and Peppers Pasta
This quick Sausage and Peppers Pasta has just 7 simple ingredients and comes together in less than 30 minutes. It’s a comfort food meal for any weeknight and will be an Italian-inspired dish the whole family will love.
I love a good Sausage and Peppers Pasta. It’s hearty, easy to make in 30 minutes, and goes perfectly served with a side salad and garlic bread. This is one of my husbands most requested dinners. I understand why, the rich flavor of the bell peppers and Italian sausage makes every bite so addicting.
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I love to use hot Italian sausage with this pasta because it adds a punch of flavor and heat to the dish that my family likes, but you can use sweet Italian or even breakfast sausage if that’s what prefer. You can also serve this dish over regular pasta or pasta alternatives, like zoodles or edamame noodles.
Another thing I always love to mention is this sausage and bell pepper pasta feeds a crowd and is affordable too! Where I live, this whole meal that feeds 4-6 people costs $15! If you love an easy pasta recipe, my Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta and Chicken Florentine Pasta are two others to try.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- It’s a 30-minute meal. From skillet to table fast! No sacrificing flavor for speed.
- Simple, everyday ingredients. Just a handful of pantry staples that come together into something really delicious.
- The whole family will love it. Hearty sausage, colorful peppers, and rich marinara over spaghetti. Repeat requests guaranteed.
- Easy to customize. Mild or hot sausage, your favorite pasta shape, a pinch of red pepper flakes. Make it your own.
Ingredients
Scroll Down to the Bottom of this Post for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Printable Recipe Card
- Olive Oil: Cooking oil for the recipe.
- Italian Sausage (or alternative): Use hot or sweet here, depending on your preference.
- Bell Peppers: Adds rich, sweet vegetable flavor. Use your favorite color.
- Onion: Gives a nice aromatic veggie base.
- Garlic: Infuses each bite with garlicky goodness.
- Marinara Sauce: Your favorite jarred sauce is perfect!
- Pasta: Any noodles you already have work well.
- Parmesan Cheese (optional): For serving on top, grate it fresh for the best flavor.
Tools You’ll Need
How to Make Sausage and Peppers Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and set aside, leaving any drippings in the pan.
- Add the bell peppers and onion to the skillet and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly tender.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more, until fragrant.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the marinara sauce, stirring to combine. Return the sausage to the skillet and stir to coat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has slightly thickened and the flavors have melded.
- Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente.
- To serve, either transfer the spaghetti to a large serving dish and ladle the sauce generously over the top, or divide the spaghetti among individual bowls and top each with a generous ladle of sauce. Finish with grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- If you want to reduce the acidity of your pasta sauce, try adding a pinch of baking soda to raise the ph level. You can also add a pinch of sugar to sweeten the flavor, although sugar will not actually reduce the acidity level.
- Swap the sausage for another protein. Ground turkey, chicken, or pork also work well here too.
- Crumble the sausage or cook it in slices. It’s up to you and your preference with the sausage. Just make sure it’s fresh and not pre-cooked.
- Use your favorite pasta shape. I personally love long noodles like fettuccine or spaghetti, but short noodles are equally as delicious. You could also serve it over low-carb or veggie-noodles.
What to Serve with Sausage and Bell pepper pasta
There are so many sides we love to add alongside this hearty dish. Here are some of my go-tos:
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water until the correct consistency is reached.
You can freeze the sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge until ready to reheat.
This sauce is also great to make in advance since the flavors will get better with time and it reheats beautifully.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can easily swap out the Italian sausage for turkey Italian sausage, ground beef, ground chicken, ground turkey, plant-based sausage, or a different variety of sausage.
Marinara comes in many flavor variations. You can use homemade if you’d like or you can jazz up a store-bought version. Other additions could be (but are not limited to) Italian Seasoning, white wine, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, canned crushed or diced tomatoes, crushed red pepper flakes, or cajun seasoning. Try adding tomato paste for extra richness. Mushrooms add an umami kick as well.
Yes, if you want crumbled sausage. If you want slices, the leave the sausage casing on, cook the sausage whole, then slice and add back to the sauce.
More Italian-Inspired Recipes
- Parmesan Garlic Noodles
- Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
- One Pot Italian Sausage Pasta
- Saucy Pasta Bake
Sausage and Peppers Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-1 1/2 pounds regular or spicy Italian sausage cut in 2-inch slices
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 1 small yellow onion sliced
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 24 ounce jar marinara sauce
- 16 ounces spaghetti
- grated parmesan cheese for servings
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and set aside, leaving any drippings in the pan.
- Add the bell peppers and onion to the skillet and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly tender.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more, until fragrant.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the marinara sauce, stirring to combine. Return the sausage to the skillet and stir to coat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has slightly thickened and the flavors have melded.
- Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente.
- To serve, either transfer the spaghetti to a large serving dish and ladle the sauce generously over the top, or divide the spaghetti among individual bowls and top each with a generous ladle of sauce. Finish with grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- If you want to reduce the acidity of your pasta sauce, try adding a pinch of baking soda to raise the ph level. You can also add a pinch of sugar to sweeten the flavor, although sugar will not actually reduce the acidity level.
- Swap the sausage for another protein. Ground turkey, chicken, or pork also work well here too.
- Crumble the sausage or cook it in slices. It’s up to you and your preference with the sausage. Just make sure it’s fresh and not pre-cooked.
- Use your favorite pasta shape. I personally love long noodles like fettuccine or spaghetti, but short noodles are equally as delicious.
Nutrition
About Laura
Taught by some of the best, cooking and entertaining has always been my favorite hobby. Food is my love language! The conception of Dinner in 321 came from my family talks that sharing our dinners would help others learn new skills, tasty recipes, and make cooking fun! Read more…
