Pasta Sauce with Turkey Sausage and Mushrooms
Pasta Sauce with Turkey Sausage and Mushrooms is rustic, flavorful and perfect for lasagna, spaghetti or store bought ravioli!
We’ve all got those old stand-bys in life, whether it’s that comfortable pair of shoes, jeans that somehow always fit the best, and that friend that never let’s us down. This pasta sauce is your new kitchen staple when you want a delicious meal that leaves you feeling good….just like those jeans. 🙂
When I make this pasta sauce, it’s like liquid gold. I prepare a double batch and freeze it to make week nights so much easier to bear. While I love red sauce with ground beef or turkey, turkey sausage is my absolute favorite.
For this sauce, I used San Marzano tomatoes. You can find large cans of San Marzano crushed tomatoes, but I happened to find the whole tomatoes at Trader Joe’s, and opted to buy them there and puree them in my food processor.
What’s the difference between San Marzano tomatoes and regular old cans of tomato sauce, you may ask? Think of a tomato that you buy at the farmer’s market compared to one at Safeway. The freshness is unmatched, and I really noticed a difference.
San Marzano tomatoes are pricier, but you get what you pay for. 🙂
It simply wouldn’t be a pasta dish for me without mushrooms. Have I ever made one without them? I honestly don’t think so. Mushrooms are as important to me as the meat and the tomatoes. I choose cremini mushrooms for meaty, hearty flavor. They’re just the best!
This pasta sauce will be your stand-by for quick week nights, entertaining, or Sunday dinners. It’s rustic and comforting, and is the base for any pasta dish you’re making. Everyone needs a good sauce in their repertoire, and this is it for me. 🙂
More sauce recipes you’ll love:
- Basil pesto sauce
- Chimichurri sauce by Bon Appetit
- Marinara sauce
- Meat sauce
Homemade Sausage Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 lb. mild Italian turkey sausage (such as Diestel or Jennie-O brand)
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms washed and sliced
- 2 28 ounce cans whole, peeled San Marzano tomatoes pureed in food processor till smooth
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the turkey sausage to pan and break up with a wooden spoon. Add the onion and garlic, and saute until the meat is browned and the onion is translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Discard the grease.
- In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms , and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Saute until the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes.
- Place the pureed tomatoes, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, basil, parsley, chili powder, thyme, paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper in a large pot. Add the turkey sausage mixture and mushrooms, and stir to combine.
- Simmer over medium low heat for 20 - 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve with boiled pasta, ravioli, or make lasagna. Enjoy!
Notes
- Sauce freezes well for quick week night suppers!
- Customize this sauce with your favorite protein, herbs and spices
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
31 Comments on “Pasta Sauce with Turkey Sausage and Mushrooms”
A great pasta sauce is really a must have!! I would love to try yours because it looks so delicious and comforting. I love that you added mushrooms 🙂
Thanks, Zainab! This really is comfort food for me. 🙂
Thanks so much!
A must to have in the pantry/fridge. Sounds and looks so so delicious, can’t wait to try this out.
You know it will be so good to cook some rice in this sauce, will turn into some thing like a mexican rice.
Oh, that sounds so good, Ash! Thanks for the idea…I love Mexican rice!
Sausage of any kind and mushrooms are my fav in tomato sauces. This looks delicious –I just want my pasta to be covered in them. Great post Marcie!
Yes, I’m always drooling over your sausage-mushroom dishes, Anne! I just can’t get enough of that combination.
Oh girl, this sounds yum. I love mushrooms in my sauce, sadly my family does not. I think i need a batch for myself, for lunch 🙂
I don’t know what I’d do if my family didn’t love mushrooms. I guess I’d sauté a package on the side just for me! Lol
I haven’t made pasta sauce is wayyyy too long. This looks so good! I fully support the mushrooms in here – I love them! I really need to make a batch to keep in my freezer for dinner emergencies!
It had been a while since I made it too since my kids are finicky about it. Too bad — it’s back in the dinner rotation again! Lol
Your pasta sauce looks all kinds of amazing! I’m a big mushroom fan, so bring them on! Loving this, thanks for sharing!
Mushrooms are the best!! Thanks, Pamela!
Your sauce looks fantastic Marcie! Love mushrooms. Sometimes when I eat pasta I feel like I could skip the noodles and just eat a bowl full of sauce with a spoon. This looks like one of those sauces!
That’s funny, because I feel the same way about just eating the sauce! I definitely make less noodles and make them nice and saucy.
Ha! That’s the bright side — you could eat it all! There are some things my family doesn’t like and I most certainly do that.
Marcie, I love go-to sauces and I can just imagine how much I would love all the flavors in your sauce — especially the mushrooms. I don’t think I’ve ever used San Marzano tomatoes in my pasta sauce, so I will definitely need to try that. I guess I never really put much thought into what type of tomatoes I’m using — but I really should, especially since they form the base for the rest of the recipe!
I kept seeing everyone on tv using San marzano tomatoes, so I finally figured I should try them and see what the hype is all about. Like I said — they have a fresher, more robust tomato flavor. Worth the extra few dollars! Have a great Friday, Jamie!
I love those “go to” meals! I just made my turkey sausage and beef sauce the other day. Everytime I make the huge batch I always think we’ll have it forever but next thing I know it’s gone.
Your sauce looks delicious. Love how you added mushrooms. 🙂
It’s definitely gone way too soon. The best things in life are!
This looks just delicious, and I must agree with you on the mushrooms. My mother-in-law doesn’t like shrooms and it always makes me so sad to have pasta without them! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, Monet! That is really too bad about the mushrooms for you. I think I would have to saute some up on the side for myself if my family hated them. Have a great weekend! 🙂
This looks amazing! And I definitely agree that you get what you pay for! 😉
Thanks, Jocelyn! Happy Sunday.
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it, Shannon! I really appreciate the feedback.
Awesome sauce, Marcie. It tastes awesome even without mushrooms (my family hates them). Thank you for the recipe!
I’m so glad you liked it, Kate! Thank you for the feedback. I always wonder if people like the recipes as much as I do.
Delicious. Great flavor combination
Thank you, Kathy! 🙂
How well does this freeze and what type of container would you use? I know this is an old post but I am making a double batch today so hopefully you’ll see this! Thanks.
This sauce freezes very well, Rachel! I normally freeze pasta sauce in zip top bags portioned out — preferably the freezer zip top bags. You can also use tupperware!