Italian Sausage Pasta

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 12 oz (340 g) pasta (penne, rigatoni or your choice)
• 1 lb (450 g) Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can (14 oz/400 g) crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup (120 ml) chicken broth or water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (for garnish)
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain and set pasta aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5–7 minutes.
3. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and sauté until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen its flavor. Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, stir to combine, and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer, uncovered, for 5–7 minutes, until slightly thickened. If it becomes too thick, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water.
6. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Toss well to coat, adding more reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta.
7. Remove from heat, stir in chopped basil or parsley, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
8. Serve hot, topped with grated Parmesan cheese and an extra drizzle of olive oil if desired.