Creamy Sausage Red Pepper Pasta
Weeknight dinners don’t get easier, or more elegant, than this Sausage Red Pepper Pasta! Tender penne pasta is packed with spicy Italian sausage, mushrooms, fresh spinach, and a creamy roasted pepper pasta sauce. It’s made in one pot and it’s ready in about 30 minutes!
When it comes to easy dinners, you can’t beat one pot pasta recipes. I personally don’t love doing dishes, so having just one pot to wash is ideal.
My skillet lasagna recipe is a family favorite as it’s made with my homemade marinara sauce, and of course there’s plenty of cheese involved! Then there’s my chicken pesto pasta complete with tender chunks of chicken breast, veggies and my basil pesto sauce.
This creamy Red Pepper Pasta is a delicious change from your average pasta dinner thanks to the silky, flavorful roasted red pepper sauce.
This recipe was inspired by a friend that hosted a casual dinner party years ago. I helped her in the kitchen while she prepared a dish very similar to this, and I told her not to be surprised if she saw an adaptation of her recipe on my blog soon.
I made this recipe my own by creating the sauce from scratch, added more veggies, and lightened it up a bit by using less cream.
The result is a meal that everyone is excited about, and it gets rave reviews every time. 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe
- This creamy red pepper pasta recipe is packed with flavorful Italian sausage, veggies and a creamy red pepper sauce that takes it over the top.
- It’s ready in 30 minutes and there’s only one pot to wash.
- The roasted red peppers may be puréed in advance to make this meal go even more quickly.
- This meal is quick enough for busy weeknights or elegant enough for dinner parties and holidays.
Recipe ingredients
- Pasta. You’ll need 8 ounces, or 1/2 lb. of dried pasta. Sub the penne pasta with your favorite variety.
- Italian sausage. Spicy Italian sausage adds a nice kick of heat, but it can be subbed with mild sausage to make it more family friendly.
- Roasted red pepper pasta sauce. Make my homemade roasted red pepper sauce for this recipe. It can be prepped up to a few days in advance, or frozen until you’re ready to use it.
- Cream. Heavy cream adds a rich, silky texture to the sauce. Sub with full fat coconut milk if desired.
- Veggies. This pasta includes onion, garlic, mushrooms and spinach, but the veggies can be customized based on what you have on hand.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make roasted red pepper pasta
This roasted red pepper pasta is so easy to make. Simply prepare the roasted red pepper sauce, then the rest comes together in one pot.
The pasta absorbs the water as it cooks and releases its starches, which makes the dish even silkier.
Pro tip: Prepare the roasted red pepper pasta sauce as per recipe instructions up to a few days in advance to make this recipe go even more quickly!
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Cook the spicy Italian sausage over medium heat until no longer pink, then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the grease.
- Add the onions to the pan with the grease and cook for 3-5 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes until the liquid evaporates, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer.
- Add the pasta and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the cooked sausage, roasted red pepper pasta sauce and cream. Reduce the heat and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Add additional 1/2 – 1 cup of water as needed if the pasta has absorbed all the liquid but is not soft yet.
- Add the spinach during the last minute or so of cooking time and cook until it has wilted. Remove from heat and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
Recipe FAQs
This pasta includes a creamy roasted red pepper pasta sauce that includes sweet, smoky roasted red bell peppers, olive oil, shallot, garlic, basil and cream.
Prepare the sauce up to a few days in advance to make this a quick and easy dinner on busy weeknights, then prepare the pasta as per recipe instructions.
While leftovers are definitely delicious, the roasted red pepper pasta is best prepared the day you plan to serve it.
This recipe is easily made vegetarian by omitting the spicy Italian sausage. Make it vegan by omitting the parmesan cheese and substituting the heavy cream with full fat coconut milk.
Serving suggestions
This sausage red pepper pasta recipe is great served a number of ways.
- Homemade focaccia bread is perfect to soak up the amazing sauce!
- A fresh side of butter lettuce salad or Italian tricolore salad rounds out the meal perfectly.
- Serve with cooked vegetables such as air fryer broccoli or roasted green beans.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Prepare the roasted red pepper sauce (without adding any cream) up to a few days in advance to make this meal go even more quickly on busy weeknights.
- Mild Italian sausage may be used to make this dish more family friendly.
- Make this recipe vegetarian by omitting the sausage, or vegan by omitting the parmesan cheese and substituting the cream with full fat coconut milk.
- Store leftover red pepper pasta in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More one pot pasta recipes
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Creamy Sausage Red Pepper Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb. spicy pork sausage casings removed; sub with mild Italian sausage if desired
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces dry penne pasta sub with your favorite pasta; see note 2
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup roasted red pepper sauce with no added cream; see note 1
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and break up into bite sized chunks with the back of a wooden spoon. Saute until browned and no longer pink, and transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the grease.1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 lb. spicy pork sausage
- Add the onion to the pan with the grease and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and the liquid has evaporated, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds longer.1 medium yellow onion, 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the pasta and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the cooked sausage, roasted red pepper sauce and heavy cream. Cook until the pasta has absorbed most of the liquid, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking. Add additional 1/2 – 1 cup of water as needed if the pasta has absorbed all the liquid but is not soft yet.8 ounces dry penne pasta, 3 cups water, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 cup roasted red pepper sauce
- Add the spinach and cook just until wilted and the pasta is al dente. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and serve with freshly grated parmesan. Enjoy!5 ounces baby spinach, Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Notes
- Pro tip: Prepare the roasted red pepper sauce (without adding any cream) up to a few days in advance to make this meal go even more quickly on busy weeknights.
- Sub the penne pasta with your favorite variety. Cooking time may vary depending on the type of pasta that you use.
- Make this recipe vegetarian by omitting the sausage, or vegan by omitting the parmesan cheese and substituting the cream with full fat coconut milk.
- Store leftover red pepper pasta in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
30 Comments on “Creamy Sausage Red Pepper Pasta”
This looks like a very easy dish for a night filled with various sports practices. Prep would be key though. I look forward to trying it.
This needs to be edited though, in the “How to…” section, step 3 adds the sausage but forgets to add the pasta. In the recipe, there’s no mention of when to add the sausage. I would add it after the pasta cooks so the flavors of the sausage don’t get washed out in the water. Even though it’ll still be in the pan, the sausage could get bland, no? How would you suggest adding it?
I’m so sorry for the confusion Marcus! Definitely add the sausage with the water and sauce to meld the flavors. I will fix the recipe. Thanks for the heads up!