Spicy Sausage Bell Pepper Pasta (Printable Version)

# What You'll Need:

01 - 1/2 lb sweet or hot Italian sausage, outer casings peeled off
02 - 2 tbsp tomato paste, split in half
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil, used separately
04 - 1/2 sweet onion, cut into thin strips
05 - 2 medium yellow or red bell peppers, cut into strips
06 - 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
07 - 1 1/2 tsp light brown sugar
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
10 - 8 oz dry chunky pasta (fusilli, rigatoni, or penne)
11 - Kosher salt, as needed
12 - 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, saved
13 - Crunchy breadcrumbs, for topping (if you want)

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Get a big skillet hot over medium-high heat. Toss in the sausage and cook until it turns brown and isn't pink inside. Mix in 1 tbsp tomato paste and let it cook another minute or two until it darkens. Scoop it onto a plate and set it aside.
02 - Using that same pan, warm up 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Throw in the onions and peppers. Let them cook about 15-20 minutes, giving them a stir now and then, until they get soft and golden. Add the other 1 tbsp tomato paste, garlic, brown sugar, oregano, and balsamic. Sprinkle with kosher salt and cook 2-3 more minutes till everything gets sticky and sweet. If things look dry, splash in some water and let it bubble.
03 - While the veggies cook, boil your pasta in super salty water for 1 minute less than what the box says. Don't forget to save 1/2 cup of that starchy water before you drain it.
04 - Put the drained pasta and cooked sausage back into the pan with those sweet peppers. Pour in about 1/4 cup of that saved pasta water, stirring for 2-3 minutes until everything gets nice and coated. Add more pasta water if you need to make it silky. Eat it right away, with crunchy breadcrumbs on top if you like.

# Additional Tips:

01 - Want some kick? Go for hot Italian sausage or sprinkle in some red pepper flakes. Looking for something lighter? Try ground turkey or chicken sausage instead. Don't eat meat? You can use veggie sausage or chunky mushrooms as a tasty swap.

Go Back