Did somebody say pasta?! It’s pasta time! My Creamy Sausage and Pepper Pasta recipe is the epitome of comfort food on a cold winter’s day! It’s what pasta dreams are made of! This pasta dish makes for a simple and satisfying weeknight or weekend dinner and is impressive enough when entertaining guests. Let’s get to it!
My Creamy Sausage and Pepper Pasta recipe starts with four rosemary-flavoured Italian sausages. The sausages are removed from their casing, pan-fried with garlic and perfectly browned, imparting tons of rich flavour and texture to this dish. Red peppers, yellow onions and aromatics, such as dried oregano, garlic powder and paprika, are added to the mix and sautéed until softened and caramelized. Now for the sauce, a generous pour of white wine helps to dissolve and loosen any caramelized bits that have adhered to the bottom of the pot, while adding a layer of brightness to this dish. The wine combines with heavy cream, reserved pasta water and Pecorino Romano to create the most creamy, earthy, nutty and satisfying sauce. All that’s missing is the cooked penne pasta. Give it a toss, garnish with fresh parsley and additional Pecorino Romano and dinner is served!
If you’re looking for a quick and easy dinner that hits the spot, then you’ll have to give my Creamy Sausage and Pepper Pasta a go! This pasta dish comes together in 30 minutes, uses simple and everyday ingredients and couldn’t be easier to make. So, let me show you how it’s done. Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!
For more fun and exciting pasta recipes, try my Butternut Squash Pasta, Pasta Genovese, Pasta al Limone, Spicy Penne Pasta, Homemade Mac and Cheese and Spaghetti with Pesto Cream Sauce recipes!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 - 27 minutes
Total Time: 30 - 32 minutes
Serves: 4 - 6
Ingredients:
4 (720g) rosemary-flavoured Italian sausages, casings removed (See Notes below)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
3 red peppers, quartered and thinly sliced
2 medium yellow onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/4 cups dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc (See Notes below)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano (See Notes below)
1 lb uncooked penne pasta
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
3 Tbsp fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped, as garnish
Additional freshly grated Pecorino Romano, as garnish
Instructions:
Remove the sausages from the refrigerator and bring them to room temperature for 20 minutes.
To a large dutch oven set over medium-high heat, add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Once hot, add the Italian sausages.
Using a spatula or spoon, break up the sausages into small pieces and cook for 10 - 12 minutes or until perfectly browned. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Remove the cooked sausages from the skillet and transfer them to a bowl. Set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium and to the dutch oven, add the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil, red peppers, onions, dried oregano, garlic powder, paprika and salt. Sauté for 8 minutes or until softened and slightly caramelized.
While the vegetables are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the penne. Cook in accordance with package instructions, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
Add the sausage back into the skillet, deglaze with white wine and cook for 5 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by half.
Pour in the heavy cream, 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, Pecorino Romano and cooked pasta. Toss and cook for an additional minute.
Transfer the Sausage and Pepper Pasta into individual serving bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and additional Pecorino Romano, to taste. Serve and enjoy!
Notes:
Italian Sausages - So Many Flavours to Choose from: If you want to get creative and subtly change the flavour profile of this dish, try using garlic, salt & ground pepper or spicy Italian sausages in this recipe. I’ve dabbled in my fair share of experimentation and each of the aforementioned flavours perfectly complement the ingredients in this dish. The world is your oyster. Try one or try them all!
Removing the Casing: I highly recommend removing the sausage meat from its casing. Not only does it assure that you have some sausage with each and every bite but it gives this dish a more pleasant mouthfeel and consistency. Using a sharp knife, cut into the casing and remove the meat. Add the meat to the skillet and discard the casing.
Sauvignon Blanc Reigns Supreme: For this recipe, I recommend using your favourite Sauvignon Blanc wine. It’s light bodied, crisp and refreshing, dry, tart and has a pronounced acidity, which enhances the brightness of this dish and pairs beautifully with the sausage and red peppers.
Fresh Is Best: Nothing quite compares to freshly grated Pecorino Romano! It’s rich, nutty and too savoury for words. At your local grocer, you’ll find pre-grated Pecorino Romano but, I highly recommend buying a piece of fresh Pecorino Romano and doing the grating on your own. It makes a world of difference. Once you try freshly grated, you’ll never go back!
