Red Wine Spicy Sausage Pasta is a meaty, cheesy, stick-to-your-ribs pasta recipe with spicy Italian sausage, tomatoes, heavy cream and parmesan cheese. A hearty and delicious meal elegant enough to serve for date night, yet casual enough to serve with friends.
Why you’ll love spicy Italian sausage pasta
Meat and cheese for the win! This is one of those pasta recipes you can’t stop thinking about. It’s hearty, filling and really allows the ingredients to shine. And if you are a serious meat and cheese lover, this one is for you!
Soul satisfying! Pasta with hot Italian sausage is a serious Italian masterpiece that celebrates the beauty of this cuisine right down to it’s core. You can find many of the ingredients in the Italian section of grocery stores, or give your local Italian market a try! The sausage sold in Italian markets might be labeled as ‘salsiccia’.
Date night specialty! I always make this for date night whenever we want to have a relaxing night in at home. The trick is to serve the same red wine you used to make the sauce. Trust me, your significant other will thank you!
Ingredients
The ingredients for this spicy pasta with sausage is a mix of pantry staples and those that are easy to find in the Italian grocery section. We will need:
- Dried pasta
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Spicy Italian sausage
- Red wine
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Heavy whipping cream
- Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt + black pepper
- Basil leaves
Ingredient notes and substitutions:
- Pasta: Use your favorite short grain or long grain pasta. I went with a casarecce, but penne, rigatoni, spaghetti, linguine or capellini are all good.
- Sausage: Look for bulk sausage in the meat section or pick up 4-5 sausage links from the meat counter and remove the casings when you get home. Sweet Italian sausage is a great sub, too!
- Red wine: Go for a red wine you like to drink, like a Pinot Noir or Cabernet.
- Tomatoes: Use all the tomatoes and juices from a can of diced or crushed tomatoes.
- Cream: Heavy whipping cream adds a nice dose of luxuriousness. It also helps balance the acidity in the wine and tomatoes – make sure not to skip it!
- Cheese: For salt and flavor. Grated parmesan cheese or grated pecorino cheese can be used interchangeably.
Measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
How to make
This spicy sausage pasta ready comes together in less than 30 minutes! I like to make the sauce while the pasta boils away on the stove. Here’s how to do it:
Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and cook the pasta according to the box’s instructions for al dente noodles.
Saute aromatics: In a medium skillet, add olive oil and heat on medium heat. Add onions and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until translucent. Then, add garlic and red pepper flakes and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant.
Add sausage and wine: Add spicy Italian sausage and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 5-7 minutes, or until it has browned and cooked through. Add the red wine and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Finish sauce: Add canned diced tomatoes with their juices and stir together. Bring mixture to a simmer. Add the heavy whipping cream and stir together well. Once mixture is simmering, add in grated parmesan cheese and stir together until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve: Serve the sauce over cooked pasta noodles and top with extra shredded parmesan cheese, if desired.
Serving suggestions
Nothing says red wine and pasta more than date night, but this sausage pasta recipe is casual enough to bring to potluck parties or serve to your best group of friends at a dinner party. Start with an Italian Chopped Salad and you are golden.
I like to sip the same wine I used to make the sauce. Go for a Pinot Noir to keep things light or try something more bold, like a Cabernet Sauvignon. Wake up your taste buds and give this hot Italian sausage pasta recipe a try!
Recipe tips & notes:
- Pick your favorite pasta shape: Keep it traditional with penne or rigatoni, or go for more fun and festive shapes like casarecce, farfalle or gemelli.
- Break the sausage with a wooden spoon: This helps you achieve crumbled sausage in varying sizes. Use that same spoon to scrape up those crispy bits stuck to the bottom of the pan when you pour in the wine.
- Allow 1-2 minutes for the alcohol in the wine to cook off: This takes away the sharp alcohol bite and gives the dish a savory, sweet wine flavor.
Looking for more pasta recipes? Check these out!
- Pasta Carbonara
- Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Bake
- Butternut Squash Spinach White Lasagna
- Dinner Party Lasagna
- Butternut Squash Ravioli Recipe
If you make this Red Wine Spicy Sausage Pasta recipe, be sure to tag me on Pinterest and Instagram!
I seriously love seeing what you guys are making and sharing your creations with the College Housewife community!
Spicy Sausage Pasta
ingredients
- 8 oz dried pasta
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ½ small yellow onion diced
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 lb spicy Italian sausage bulk or casings removed
- ¾ cup red wine
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with juices
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
- 6 basil leaves thinly sliced
instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and cook the pasta according to the box’s instructions for al dente noodles.
- Saute aromatics: In a medium skillet, add olive oil and heat on medium heat. Add onions and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until translucent. Then, add garlic and red pepper flakes and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant.
- Add sausage and wine: Add spicy Italian sausage and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 5-7 minutes, or until it has browned and cooked through. Add the red wine and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Finish sauce: Add canned diced tomatoes with their juices and stir together. Bring mixture to a simmer. Add the heavy whipping cream and stir together well. Once mixture is simmering, add in grated parmesan cheese and stir together until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve: Serve the sauce over cooked pasta noodles and top with extra shredded parmesan cheese, if desired.
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