Spicy Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta

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This Spicy Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta recipe is the perfect balance of quick & flavorful! Spicy sausage & sweet bell peppers simmer in a simple yet richly flavored sauce made with crushed tomatoes & white wine. Toss in al dente pasta & you've got a restaurant-worthy sausage peppers pasta in 30 minutes or less! The perfect dinner for both easy weeknights & delicious date nights – truly the best of everything!

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Featured In Pasta Series
Two servings of sausage and peppers pasta served in white bowls are garnished with grated parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh chopped herbs. The bowls sit atop a white and gray marble surface with a blue and white striped linen napkin tucked underneath. Two metal forks and a small wooden pinch bowl filled with crushed red pepper flakes rest alongside the bowl at center.

A Restaurant-Worthy Pasta – So Much Rich Flavor, So Little Time!

The Italian approach of giving simple, high-quality ingredients a little TLC to transform them into something extraordinary is my absolute favorite way to cook. But just as much as I’d love to lovingly tend to a batch of slowly simmered bolognese any night of the week, my busy weeknights typically don’t allow for it.

That’s exactly how this Spicy Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta recipe came to be – a comforting, hearty, & downright restaurant-worthy dinner that’s easy to make any night of the week. It comes together in less than 30 minutes, but it tastes like it’s simmered for hours. Yes please!

Building tons of flavor quickly comes down to using smart ingredients & good technique. Simmering sweet bell peppers & spicy Italian sausage with powerhouse ingredients like tomato paste & white wine creates a bold, succulent sauce with the perfect balance of flavor. Simply toss in al dente rigatoni (or layer the sauce in a quick lasagna!) & dinner’s good to go!

Sausage and Peppers Pasta Recipe Highlights

You are going to LOVE this sausage peppers pasta recipe. It’s…

QUICK & SIMPLE. 10 pantry staple ingredients come together to create a mega-flavorful sausage peppers pasta dish in 30 minutes or less. It’s one of our all-time fave weeknight dinners for a good reason!

FLAVOR-FORWARD. Don’t let its quick cook time fool you! This sausage and peppers pasta coaxes tons of flavor out of every ingredient for a super rich, succulent, spicy Italian sauce balanced with sweet tomatoes & bell peppers. Totally restaurant-quality!

THE PERFECT WEEKNIGHT DINNER. Every busy weekday deserves to end with al dente pasta tossed with spicy Italian sausage, sweet bell peppers, and a bold & rich tomato sauce. Tons of deliciousness in no time!

Absolutely perfect, in ever single way! ♡ Read on to learn more about how to make this Spicy Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta, or jump straight to the recipe & get cooking!

Key Ingredients

This sausage and peppers pasta recipe creates bold, restaurant-worthy flavor thanks to a smart line-up of simple ingredients – most of them probably already in your pantry! Rich Italian pork sausage, white wine, & aromatics build flavor without requiring hours of simmering like a marinara sauce or ragu. It takes 20 minutes tops!

Note: Full ingredients list & measurements provided in the Recipe Card, below.

You need…

  • Pasta – We love using rigatoni because its ridges & tubular shape are ideal for capturing all the beautiful bits of chunky sauces like this one. You can also use whatever you have – short pastas like penne or fusilli work well too, as do long pastas like bucatini or fettuccine.
  • Italian sausage – We highly recommend using spicy Italian pork sausage here because its heat pairs beautifully with sweet Italian tomatoes. Full-fat pork sausage also has natural richness ideal for creating an especially flavorful Italian sausage pasta sauce in a short amount of time. You can either buy the sausage in bulk or use links & remove the casing.
  • Veggies & aromatics – Colorful bell peppers & onion simmer alongside the Italian sausage, while garlic & crushed red pepper flakes add extra flavor.
  • Sauce – It’s easy to whip up a quick homemade tomato sauce when you have the right ingredients! This spicy-sweet sauce comes together with a combination of crushed tomatoes, tomato paste (the secret to tons of rich flavor), & bright white wine.
  • Parmesan – A sprinkle of cheese brings the whole sausage peppers pasta dish together as it simmers. It also adds more rich umami flavor!

How to Make Weeknight Pasta with Sausage and Peppers

We’re not kidding about how quickly this sausage and peppers pasta recipe is to make. After some simple chopping, the sausage peppers pasta sauce & rigatoni come together in 20 minutes or less! Minimum effort, maximum flavor cooking at its finest!

Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.

1

Boil the pasta. Always cook pasta in a large pot of rapidly boiling, heavily salted water. This is the only chance you have to season the pasta itself – the water should taste like the ocean! I use a Dutch oven since it retains its heat really well. Remember! ⇢ Don’t forget to save a cup of starchy pasta water before draining. Learn more! ⇢ How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time!

2

Cook the aromatics & sausage. Soften the bell peppers & onion with the sausage, then add the garlic & red pepper flakes. Why? ⇢ Taking time to brown the sausage & soften the aromatics creates the foundation of flavor in this sausage and peppers pasta recipe. The sausage renders as it cooks, infusing the aromatics with its rich flavor.

3

Build the tomato sauce. Stir the tomato paste into the veggies & sausage. Cook for a few minutes, allowing it to brown & coax out even more flavor. From there, deglaze the pan with white wine & finish it off with crushed tomatoes & parmesan. Why? ⇢ White wine is a great weeknight cooking secret! Cooking with wine is an easy way to infuse tons of flavor without much effort.

4

Finish with the pasta. Once the sauce is bubbling away, toss in the al dente rigatoni with a splash of pasta water. Let everything simmer together for a few minutes longer. Why? ⇢ Al dente pasta should always have a moment to cook with the sauce on the stovetop. This turns the 2 separate components into 1 cohesive sausage and peppers pasta dish. If you feel like your pasta never turns out as good as it does in a restaurant, this simple step helps tremendously!

Step-by-Step Video

Easy Sausage and Peppers Pasta Variations

Along with being SUPER easy to make, this sausage and peppers pasta recipe is also incredibly versatile. A couple of quick tweaks allow you to customize the dish to your liking. Or feel free to mix things up if you love to make it often. A few ideas to get you started…

  • Not a fan of spicy? ⇢ The balance between spicy sausage & sweet bell peppers is one of the best parts of this sausage peppers pasta sauce, but you can easily use mild or sweet Italian sausage instead of spicy &/or omit the red pepper flakes to dial down the heat to your liking.
  • Not a fan of pork? ⇢ Feel free to use chicken or turkey sausage instead. It’s admittedly not our favorite option since the goal of this sausage and peppers pasta recipe is building lots of rich flavor in a short amount of time – the natural richness of the pork sausage is a crucial element. If you want to use chicken or turkey sausage, be sure to add more olive oil to help compensate for that richness.
  • Make it vegetarian! ⇢ Go meatless & swap Italian sausage for tons of finely chopped mushrooms like baby bellas or shiitakes. Mushrooms are a satisfying & hearty option that we love with other pasta dishes like ragu or brown buttered noodles. You’ll need to make up for the fat & flavor of the pork sausage by adding in some extra olive oil & seasonings (try dried oregano or an Italian herb blend!).
  • Make it creamy! ⇢ Add a splash of heavy cream or unsweetened plant milk to instantly give the tomato sauce a gorgeous velvety texture.
  • Use what you have! ⇢ Sausage and peppers pasta is the perfect clean-out-your-fridge kind of meal for any extra veggies you have hanging around. Try wilted greens (spinach, arugula), shredded kale, broccoli florets, diced tomatoes, or zucchini.

Serving & Storage Suggestions

Serving suggestions. ⇢ We love to serve Italian sausage and peppers pasta with extra grated parmesan, some finely chopped fresh basil or parsley, & maybe a little more red pepper flakes if you love the heat.

Easy side dishes. ⇢ This dish is great all on its own & a well-balanced mix of protein, cozy carbs, & veggies (especially if you add some more in – see above!). Spicy Italian sausage pasta is also always fantastic with a Caesar salad or simple green salad. You can never go wrong with some toasted garlic bread, too!

Storage & Freezing

You can keep leftover sausage and peppers pasta in the fridge for up to 4 days. Simply reheat a bowl in the microwave!

If you want to freeze some for later, cool a portion of the sausage peppers pasta sauce before adding in the pasta & then freeze. You can thaw the sauce overnight in the fridge & reheat it on the stovetop, adding in freshly cooked pasta.

Check out the Recipe Notes, below, for more details on storage & reheating.

I can’t wait for you to try this Spicy Sausage and Peppers Pasta! It’s a go-to weeknight dinner here at the PWWB House because it’s so easy & so delicious. I think that once you try it, it’ll be in your regular dinner rotation too!

If you do give it a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!

Print
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Italian Sausage & peppers pasta served in a white bowl sitting on a white marble surface surrounded by a striped linen napkin, fresh parsley leaves, & a small wooden bowl filled with crushed red pepper flakes.

30-Minute Spicy Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 41 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4
  • Category: Main Dishes, Pasta Recipes
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian, Italian-American

Description

This Spicy Italian Sausage and Peppers Pasta recipe is one of my personal all-time favorite PWWB recipes. With a goal of recreating the rich, simmered-all-day-long flavor of one of my favorite pasta dishes here in the Twin Cities (the Rigatoni con Salsicce a la Broder’s Pasta Bar!), I’ve tweaked & perfected this recipe over the years, ensuring it boasts amazing rich flavor but it’s quick & easy enough to make any night of the week.

The secret? Using a smart line-up of ingredients. Rich & flavorful spicy Italian sausage infuses the sauce with luscious texture & aromatic flavor, while a few flavor-forward additions like tomato paste & dry white wine help to build a tremendous amount of flavor in a short amount of time.

Feel free to toss the sauce into whatever pasta you love. Pictured is rigatoni (a nod to the restaurant dish this recipe is inspired by!), but fusilli, linguine, & bucatini are all great options too. Be sure to let the sauce & pasta simmer together for a couple of minutes before serving – it’s the secret to serving a restaurant-worthy pasta at home. ♡ Buon appetito!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces rigatoni or short pasta of choice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound bulk mild, sweet, or spicy Italian sausage (see Recipe Notes)
  • 1 large bell pepper, diced (approx. ½ cup diced)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (approx. ½ cup diced)
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
  • up to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • ½ cup dry, unoaked white wine (see Recipe Notes)
  • one 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup grated parmesan
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
  • for serving, as desired: grated parmesan, finely chopped fresh basil leaves, finely chopped fresh parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, etc.

Instructions

  1. Boil the pasta: Generously season a large pot of water & bring to a boil. Add the rigatoni & cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is 2-3 minutes under al dente (“al dente” cooking time is typically included in package directions). Drain the pasta – do not rinse! – & set aside. (Learn more How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time!)
  2. Soften the aromatics & brown the sausage: Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot & shimmering, add the sausage, bell pepper, & onion, seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Using a wooden spoon to break the sausage into fine, bite-sized crumbles as it renders, cook until the sausage is rendered & the veggies are fragrant, 5-7 minutes. The sausage should brown nicely & the veggies should soften – if anything starts to brown too quickly, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low. Add in the garlic & crushed red pepper flake, cooking until just fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute longer.
  3. Build the tomato sauce: Stir the tomato paste into the skillet, stirring to coat the sausage & veggies. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until deeply red. Deglaze the pan by slowly pouring in the white wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that may have formed on the bottom of the pan. Once the wine is almost completely cooked off, stir in the crushed tomatoes & parmesan. Bring the mixture up to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to thicken slightly & build flavor. Taste & adjust seasoning accordingly.
  4. Finish the pasta: Once the sausage & peppers have simmered in the tomato sauce, add the pasta to the skillet & toss to coat. Adjust as needed so the sausage and peppers sauce evenly coats the pasta – if the mixture is too thick, toss in a little reserved pasta water; if the mixture is too loose, turn up the heat or toss in an extra handful of parmesan cheese, etc. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, allowing the pasta to meld with & absorb some of the tomato sauce. Remove from the heat.
  5. Serve immediately, topped with additional grated parmesan, chopped basil or parsley, &/or a sprinkling of crushed red pepper, as desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Ingredient Notes: 
    • Sausage: I highly recommend opting for full-fat pork sausage for this sausage and peppers pasta recipe, as its natural richness helps build an especially flavorful sauce in a relatively short amount of time. I love the way the light heat of spicy sausage helps balance the natural sweetness of tomatoes, but if you prefer to use mild or sweet Italian sausage, it’ll work great. If you prefer to use leaner ground turkey sausage or meatless crumbles, they will work – plan to use an extra tablespoon of olive oil to help compensate for the richness of pork sausage.
    • White wine: The addition of white wine helps create complex flavor in the spicy sausage and peppers sauce despite its short simmer time. Dry, unoaked white wines work best – I often cook with Pinot Grigio. Wine substitutes If you cannot do not have white wine on hand, you can substitute with dry vermouth for this recipe. If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, substitute with an equal amount of chicken stock with a splash of apple cider vinegar whisked into it.
    • Not a fan of spicy? No worries! Simply swap out spicy sausage with mild or sweet Italian sausage & omit chili flake – the sausage peppers pasta will be nice & mild!
  • Storage & Reheating: Leftover sausage peppers pasta will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
  • 10-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for this sausage peppers pasta comes from prepping the veggies – dicing the onion & bell pepper. Take care of this in advance & store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It takes 10 minutes, tops, & with the prep work done, you can jump straight into cooking at dinnertime!

by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Step-by-Step Photography by KJ & Company, Kate Poskochil

Follow along with Plays Well With Butter on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest for more unfussy recipes that pack a big punch of flavor!

Hi there, I'm Jess!

If there’s 1 thing to know about me, it’s this: I am head-over-heels in love with food. I’m on a mission to make weeknight cooking flavorful, fast, & fun for other foodies, & PWWB is where I share foolproof recipes that deliver major flavor with minimal effort. Other true loves: pretty shoes, puppies, Grey’s Anatomy, & my cozy kitchen in Minneapolis, MN.

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Comments

  1. 3.19.24
    Lisa said:

    This was spectacular and my hubby and I really enjoyed it. I used hot Italian sausage and only a half teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes but everything else was the same! I usually make modifications to recipes but I didn’t change a thing other than adding the fresh basil add the end and not on top. Really delicious and I’ll make again and again…thanks.

    • 3.20.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Lisa, so happy to hear this pasta turned out great for you! It’s a staple in our house, too! 🙂

  2. 3.9.24
    Andrea said:

    2 for 2 with your recipes! Love this and love the bolognese. Eager to try more. Thanks.

    • 3.11.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      You’re on a roll with some of our fave pastas!! So happy to hear you loved this one too, Andrea 🙂

  3. 2.8.24
    landon said:

    I was looking for a way to use up some venison and pork sausage in the freezer and came across this recipe. I made this last night for dinner, and oh my goodness this was delicious! This is going in the cookbook and can see it becoming a staple around here! The flavours are PERFECT.






    • 2.8.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      So glad to hear that, Landon! This one is on regular rotation in our house, too! Venison and pork sausage would be great additions! 🙂

  4. 9.18.23
    Anna James said:

    This is one of our staple batch cook meals and we love it – tasty and simple. The OG recipe is the best version but we sometimes take the tip included in the description and switch the sausages for a variety of chopped mushrooms as a veggie alternative and it is SO GOOD.






    • 9.18.23
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      We love a good meatless alternative! So glad to hear this is in your regular rotation, it’s one of our favorites, too! 🙂

  5. 7.1.23
    Amanda said:

    I make lamb bolognese every few months, it takes hours in the oven and is worth the effort.
    This simple recipe mirrors the complex flavors if done right which is amazing! Here’s my recs if you like
    – biggest advice is do not use a nonstick pan. The deglaze is important for flavor.
    – drain the oil after meat initially turns gray brown and rubbery, then add back and turn up the heat so it actually browns instead of boils. This gives you the good brown bits for the wine to work. It’ll definitely take longer than 8 minutes total cooking time.
    – I always use more tomato paste and garlic than any recipe calls for, keeping pasta water to thin things later is helpful without losing consistency or flavor
    – go with the sweet sausage and use the full tsp chili flakes
    – don’t skimp on basil or big sliced shreds of parm as a topper

    I agree with everyone, this is excellent and simple, but if you’re new to sauce I hope my points help 🥰 enjoy!!!! Thank you for the great recipe, ill be back






    • 7.5.23
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      All such good tips, thank you Amanda! So happy to hear you love this pasta as much as we do!

  6. 6.30.23
    Lucy Sim Conway said:

    Wow! This is a really good Italian sausage pasta. Thank you for sharing. It was simple and delicious.
    Thanks again.






    • 7.5.23
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      It’s one of our favorites – simple & delicious is the best combo! Thanks for the kind review, Lucy!

  7. 3.5.23
    Lauren Slater said:

    I made this last night to use up ingredients I had on hand. Only used red bell pepper because that’s what was in the fridge. It was absolutely delicious! It’s going into the rotation and I plan to bring it to a potluck soon. Thanks for a great recipe!






    • 3.6.23
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Lauren! This is the perfect pasta to use up what you have on hand – we’re so glad you loved it!! 🙂

  8. 11.6.22
    Caroline Piche said:

    Very good! Being Italian I let it simmer longer. Lol






    • 11.7.22
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      We’re so glad you loved it, Caroline! 🙂 If you liked this one, we ope you’ll check out some of our other pasta recipes soon!

  9. 4.24.22
    Lynne Graham said:

    Excellent! I also had fresh mushrooms.






    • 4.25.22
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Thanks so much, Lynne! We are so glad to hear that you loved this pasta!

  10. 11.22.21
    Kim said:

    Love this recipe. It is a favorite in our house!






    • 11.23.21

      So glad to hear it, Kim!! Thanks for taking the time to drop a comment!

  11. 8.11.21
    A Gibson said:

    My family loved this dish! I especially liked the bulk italian sausage idea–I was clueless as to how much more flavorful it makes the dish!






  12. 8.11.21
    A Gibson said:

    My family loved this dish! I especially liked the bulk italian sausage idea–I was clueless as to how much more flavorful it makes the dish!






    • 11.23.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      So glad it was a hit & yes we agree – such an easy way to add loads of flavor! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment & share. Hope you make it again soon!

  13. 8.10.21
    Ashlea said:

    This is one of my favorite recipes! So simple, I usually have the ingredients on hand, and it is full of flavor. I love how comforting it is and that it tastes like it’s been cooking for hours but is actually so quick to make!






    • 11.23.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Love to hear it Ashlea! It’s a total back pocket meal!! Thank you for sharing!

  14. 6.6.21
    Bai said:

    Loved this recipe! The sausage was a good change from beef!






    • 6.9.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Thanks so much Bai, we are so glad you enjoyed! We like that the sausage adds a little extra kick too!

      • 10.3.21
        Amanda said:

        Making this for the second weekend in a row! So dang good and is super easy and quick to make up. Definitely adding this to my regular rotation!






  15. 3.31.21
    Megan said:

    This was so good!! It was spicy, but in the best way. I don’t really like sausage all that much and still thought this was fantastic. My husband raved about it all night, too!






  16. 3.29.21
    lauren Hobson said:

    Finally made this pasta. It’s easy and so tasty. Will make again.






  17. 3.29.21
    Patricia K said:

    Loved this recipe! It was the best of both worlds, I love tomato based pasta sauces and my husband loves sausage so we both thoroughly enjoyed this dish. Will make again and again

    • 5.5.21

      The perfect compromise! So glad you & your husband enjoyed, Patricia!

  18. 3.28.21
    Tanner Scott said:

    If you want the best pasta you’ve ever made at home, you need to make the “Best Ever Bolognese” recipe. But if you want something quick and easy that still tastes pretty dang good, this hits the spot. This would be perfect as a quick, inexpensive meal for a family.

    A few tips… first of all, this makes A LOT of food. So, definitely make sure you have a large enough skillet to handle this (I’d say nothing under 12”). Secondly, to really deglaze with the white wine, you’ll want to avoid a non-stick pan. I accidentally used mine, and it turned out great still, but I think I might cook this in my Dutch oven next time. Another great recipe! Thank you!






    • 5.14.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Tanner! Thanks so much for kind words & for sharing your tips – we are so glad you enjoyed this Sausage & Peppers pasta! Hope you are getting good use out of your Recipe Challenge winner’s haul!!

  19. 3.22.21
    Whitney Heber said:

    Y’all. Make this. It is such a hearty and flavor-packed meal. Peppers and onions add the necessary sweetness to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. I made with Italian turkey sausage because I don’t eat red meat. To compensate I added mushroom powder (ups the umami) and a pat of butter for the missing fat. With the pasta water this sauce clung to the pasta beautifully. Best of all, this came together in a snap while tasting like it simmered for hours. Def in the rotation now.






  20. 3.22.21
    Megan said:

    SO GOOD! I don’t even really like sausage, and I loved this. My husband did, too. It will be going in our regular rotation.






    • 5.28.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Megan! So glad to hear that you & your husband enjoyed – this is such a quick & easy recipe! Thank you for sharing!

  21. 3.16.21
    Lissa said:

    This was a hit all around! I used ground pork since I wanted to serve to my 7 month old and skip some of the salt for her sake. Can’t wait to make it again with spicy sausage for just the grownups, ha! Delicious, as always PWWB!






    • 5.14.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Lissa! We are so glad you & your whole family could enjoy – thank you so much for your kind words!

  22. 3.13.21
    Megan Balgord said:

    PWWB does it again! This was phenomenal. Big hit with the whole fam! So easy, had all ingredients on hand. Took me a bit longer to make because I’m putzy like that, but having everything chopped up ahead of time really helped. Will DEFINITELY make again!






    • 5.28.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hey Megan! Yes – it is the BEST when a recipe can come together with what you already have on hand! So glad to hear that the entire family loved it, thank you for sharing!!

  23. 3.12.21
    Molly Guisinger said:

    Super easy recipe and so delicious!! My whole family liked this one.






    • 5.14.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Molly! So glad this pasta was a hit, thank you for sharing!

  24. 3.11.21
    Rachel Colvin said:

    This is spicayyyy hayyy. 💃🏼 The boyfriend walked in the house and said “I don’t know what that is, but it smells incredible”. 5 stars. Throwing this one in the regular rotation.






  25. 3.11.21
    Hannah E said:

    Just made this for dinner and I’m def adding it to my weeknight rotation! So easy to pull together and a great flavor payoff 😍






    • 5.28.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Yay! So glad to hear you loved it Hannah! We love that a few simple ingredients create such big flavor too!

  26. 3.10.21
    Elizabeth said:

    Great weeknight meal! This had tons of flavor and was easy to put together after work.






  27. 3.9.21
    Kylie said:

    So delicious and easy! Also a plus that my husband loves it too!!






    • 3.10.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Kylie! So glad to hear this pasta was a hit! Thank you for sharing!!

  28. 3.9.21
    Ann Chang said:

    We inhaled this pasta tonight. As usual, your recipe exceeded our expectations. Thank you so much for this easy weeknight recipe.






  29. 3.8.21
    Jaclyn h said:

    I love this recipe because it’s so simple. Added bonus, my husband loves it too. So much that he’ll make it on his own!






    • 3.9.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      🙌 we love to hear it, Jaclyn!! So glad to hear it is enjoyed by all!!

  30. 3.8.21
    Ashley said:

    My family must not like our pasta saucy because we use a pound of pasta and think it’s the perfect amount! This is one of our go-to recipes. Easy, kid-friendly, delicious – checks all the major boxes. Like all PWWB recipes, this one is a winner!






  31. 3.7.21
    Natasha said:

    So yummy and so easy to make! You can even meal prep the day before so there is even less to do the night of!






    • 3.8.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Natasha!! Yes, we also LOVE that this recipe is totally meal-prep friendly!! So glad you enjoyed – thank you for sharing!

  32. 3.6.21
    Jenny said:

    Absolutely delicious!! Added diced mushrooms to increase the veggies. Easy and so much flavor, thanks Jess!






  33. 3.5.21
    Courtney Pilling said:

    This came together beautifully! My family loved it and my 9 year old son said he’d give it 6 stars out of 5. It has the right level of spice to appeal to many people. It was also super gratifying to make a flavorful tomato sauce that easily.






    • 3.8.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Courtney! We are so grateful for your review (& your son’s 6 out of 5 stars!!) Nothing beats a quick & easy homemade pasta – so glad you enjoyed!

  34. 3.4.21
    Lindsey said:

    I doubled this recipe and so glad I did! I left out the spice because I have toddlers and it was a hit! The leftovers are just as good which is so important with 3 young kids, one being a newborn. I need quick, healthy meals I can eat for a few days! The peppers add such a unique and delicious taste to the sauce, I will definitely add this to our meal rotation!






    • 3.5.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Lindsey! So so glad that you could tailor this recipe for the whole family to enjoy & make a double batch – the leftovers are amazing!!

  35. 2.22.21
    chelsea said:

    Would I be able to use canned diced tomatoes vs the crushed?

    • 5.24.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Chelsea! You should certainly be able to substitute the canned diced tomatoes for the crushed tomatoes in the recipe. Just be sure to gently crush the tomatoes with whatever utensil you are using to stir the sauce to help release more of the flavor of the tomatoes. Hope you enjoy!

  36. 1.17.21
    Terry said:

    This is A- mazing! I have made this a handful of times and each time is better!!






    • 1.27.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Terry! So glad you love it, it’s definitely a recipe you can come back to time & time again!

  37. 12.8.20
    Rebecca said:

    Boyfriend loved it so much, he ate two bowls. I didn’t have a yellow bell pepper so I left it out. Very easy and tasty.






    • 3.9.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hey Rebecca! This is definitely a two bowl kind of pasta, we don’t blame your boyfriend one bit! So glad to hear that you both enjoyed!!

  38. 11.3.20
    Ellen said:

    I made this last night, and it was the perfect easy Monday meal! Neither my fiance nor I could get over how amazing it tasted despite the quick cook time. It’s perfect, and totally getting added to our regular rotation!

    • 3.9.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Ellen! We love that it is so quick too – such a great homemade “back-pocket” type meal & we are SO glad you enjoyed!

  39. 10.29.20
    Theresa said:

    If I could give this recipe more stars ⭐️ I would. I generally don’t even like red sauce but this recipe changed that. Easy delicious, filling. Perfect balance of spicy,saucy comfort in a bowl.






    • 3.9.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Thank you, Theresa! That means SO much – we are so glad you loved it!

  40. 10.27.20
    Sherry said:

    Hi! Spicy Italian Sausage & Peppers was a hit in my home. We have one non pork eater so I did substitute with spicy Italian turkey sausage and use the tip above to add a little more olive oil. The flavor is amazing and it came together in a short amount of time. I have shared this recipe with 4 of my friends and I will definitely be making this again. Thank you!!






    • 3.9.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Sherry! Such a smart substitution, so glad you made it work for your family & thank you so much for sharing with others – it means the world!!

  41. 4.30.20
    Lorri said:

    I’m always on the hunt for an easy pasta recipe that tastes as good as what I get in my favorite local Italian restaurant. Well, this recipe was BETTER. And it heats up really well for leftovers too–it’s just as good the 2nd and 3rd time around. It has a surprisingly wonderful depth of flavor for such a short amount of time. I made two modifications to the recipe. Because my wife can’t have things too spicy, I did 1/2 of the sausage spicy and 1/2 mild. The second modification was sort of a mistake. I had bought a box of rigatoni that I thought was 12 ounces. Your recipe called for 8. I decided to put in the whole box, and only when I was throwing away the box did I realize it was 16 ounces! But, the onion and pepper I had used were large and this worked. We had plenty of sauce and got two more meals out of it. This will be a new “go to” in our household.






    • 2.5.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Lorri, thanks so much for your kind words!! Glad this can be a new go-to recipe 🙂 & that you could tailor the spiciness!

  42. 3.6.20

    This was off-the-hook delicious. Entire family was in love with it. Have slotted it into my recipe schedule, so good!






  43. 12.9.19
    Caitlin said:

    I made this last night for a cozy dinner-and-a-movie night at home. My husband and I LOVED it – incredibly flavorful with a hint of heat – it reminded us of one of our favorite pizza topping combos (spicy sausage and roasted peppers) in pasta form. Thank you for the recipe!






    • 12.20.19
      jess said:

      This totally makes my day, Caitlin. One of our favorite recipes too. So glad you & your hubby loved it!!!

  44. 11.12.19
    Alexis said:

    This was so good and took almost no time to make. Definitely putting it in my rotating week night recipes.






  45. 10.29.19
    Ashley said:

    This was delicious, thank you for the recipe!

    • 10.29.19
      jess said:

      I’m so excited you loved it! Thanks for sharing, Ashley!