Sausage and Peppers Rustica
A creamy, comforting Italian sausage and pepper rustica pasta recipe that comes together in under 30 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner. It's so warm and savory, it's the perfect dish for colder weather!
Ingredients
- ½ pound fettuccine
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ medium red bell pepper diced
- ¼ large yellow onion diced
- 1 pinch salt
- ⅔ pound ground hot Italian sausage
- 14 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook pasta according to package directions.
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic, diced peppers, and diced onion and season with a pinch of salt. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add ground sausage to the pan, breaking it up into small pieces with your spatula as you incorporate it with the peppers and onions. Cook until browned, about 7 to 9 minutes.
- Next, add the crushed tomatoes and water. Stir in crushed red pepper flakes, basil, and oregano. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Drain the cooked pasta, then add the pasta to the sauce. Stir to combine until the pasta is fully coated. Serve immediately.
Notes
Fettuccine: We recommend sticking with a thicker pasta noodle to support the creamy sauce and ground sausage, but you can substitute with spaghetti or linguine.
Hot Italian sausage: Hot Italian sausage has great flavor without being overly spicy, which adds to the comforting feeling of this dish. You can substitute with regular Italian sausage, but note that it'll result in a milder flavor profile. For a vegetarian version of this pasta dish, try a plant-based alternative!
Making the sauce: Don't drain the grease from the pan after cooking the sausage and before adding the tomatoes - you want to incorporate all this delicious flavor right into the sauce. That's what makes this dish so creamy!
Serving suggestions: We love to serve a side of fresh Italian bread and dipping oils with our pasta dinners. Try a basil-infused olive oil, or stir grated parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes into olive oil for a tasty Italian style side.
Nutrition
Calories: 706kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 948mg | Potassium: 900mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1055IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 5mg
