Easy 30 Minute Sausage and Pepper Pasta
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This sausage and pepper pasta combines juicy Italian-style sausage, sweet bell peppers and rigatoni in a rich, herby tomato sauce. It’s ready in just 30 minutes, making it an easy, inexpensive family dinner for busy weeknights.
If you love quick pasta dinners, try my 30-minute sausage pasta or one-pot chorizo pasta next, or browse my pasta recipes for more easy dinner ideas.
Why this recipe works
Ingredients required
- Sausages: Use good-quality pork or chicken sausages. Removing the casings lets the sausage meat brown properly and creates lots of flavour for the sauce.
- Rigatoni: The ridges and hollow centre are ideal for catching the chunky sausage and tomato sauce. Penne is another good option.
- Bell pepper: Red or yellow peppers add sweetness that balances the savoury sausage and tomato sauce.
- Onion and garlic: The aromatic base of the sauce. Cooking them in the same pan as the sausage means they pick up all those browned, savoury bits.
- Chopped tomatoes: Form the main body of the tomato sauce.
- Tomato purée: Concentrates the tomato flavour and gives the sauce more depth.
- Italian herbs: An easy way to add oregano, basil and other Mediterranean flavours without needing several individual herbs.
- Red pepper flakes: Add a little warmth. Adjust the amount depending on how spicy your sausages are and how much heat you like.
- Stock: Loosens the tomatoes and adds savoury depth to the sauce. Chicken or beef stock both work well.
- Red wine: Optional, but adds extra depth to the tomato sauce. You can simply leave it out rather than replacing it.
- Roasted pepper stir-through sauce: Optional. This adds a slightly smoky, charred pepper flavour, but the pasta will still have plenty of flavour without it.
- Fresh parsley: Adds freshness at the end and balances the richness of the sausage and tomato sauce.
- Olive oil: For browning the sausage and vegetables, particularly useful when using leaner chicken sausages.
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and full instructions.
Here’s How to Make Sausage and Pepper Pasta
- Brown the sausage. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan or casserole over medium-high heat. Remove the sausage meat from the casings, break it into bite-sized pieces and cook until browned all over. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the onion and garlic. Add the diced onion to the same pan and cook until softened, scraping up the browned sausage bits from the bottom. Add the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
- Build the flavour base. Add the tomato purée, Italian herbs and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring well, until the tomato purée darkens slightly. If using the red wine, add it now and let it bubble for a minute or two, scraping the bottom of the pan as it reduces.
- Make the tomato and pepper sauce. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and stock, then add the diced bell pepper and optional roasted pepper stir-through sauce. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer. Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in well-salted water until al dente.
- Return the sausage. Add the browned sausage back to the tomato sauce and stir everything together. Simmer gently until the peppers are tender, the sausage is cooked through and the sauce has reduced and thickened.
- Finish the pasta. Drain the rigatoni, reserving a little pasta water, and add it to the sausage and pepper sauce. Toss well until the pasta is completely coated, adding a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Finish with the chopped parsley, taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
Chef’s guide: expert tips
Here are a few simple tips, drawn from my training and kitchen experience, to help you get the best results every time.
- Give the sausage room to brown: Use a fairly wide pan and let the sausage sit against the hot surface before moving it around. Browning creates the caramelised bits on the bottom of the pan that give the finished sauce much more savoury depth.
- Cook the tomato purée properly: Let it fry with the onion and seasonings for 1–2 minutes before adding the liquid. It should darken slightly; this cooks out the raw tomato flavour and gives the sauce a richer base.
- Don’t overcook the peppers: The peppers should soften but still retain a little texture. Adding them with the tomatoes rather than at the beginning prevents them disappearing into the sauce.
- Keep the pasta slightly underdone: Cook the rigatoni until just al dente, then let it finish in the sauce. The pasta will absorb some of the sauce as you toss everything together without becoming soft.
- Save some pasta water: Before draining, scoop out a little of the starchy cooking water. A splash added while tossing the pasta helps the tomato sauce cling to the rigatoni rather than sitting separately in the pan.
- Reduce before you loosen: If the sauce looks thin, simmer it uncovered before adding the pasta rather than relying on the pasta to thicken it. Once the rigatoni is added, you can use reserved pasta water to fine-tune the consistency.
What to do with leftovers
- Fridge: Cool the pasta completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave until piping hot throughout. Add a small splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce as it heats.
- For the best texture: The rigatoni will continue to absorb some of the tomato sauce while it sits, so leftovers will naturally be thicker. A splash of liquid and a good stir will loosen the sauce again.
- Freezing the sauce: If you want to make this ahead for the freezer, freeze the sausage and pepper sauce without the pasta for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, reheat thoroughly, then toss with freshly cooked pasta.
Recipe FAQs
What type of sausage is best for sausage and pepper pasta?
Good-quality pork sausages work particularly well, but chicken sausages are also a great option. Choose sausages with plenty of seasoning, as their flavour becomes an important part of the tomato sauce.
Can I use a different type of pasta?
Yes. Rigatoni is ideal because its ridges and hollow centre hold the chunky sausage sauce, but penne, fusilli or another short pasta will work well. Avoid very delicate pasta shapes, which can get lost in the hearty sauce.
Do I have to use red wine?
No. The wine adds extra depth, but the sauce is still full of flavour without it. Simply leave it out; there’s no need to replace it with anything.
Why isn’t my tomato sauce sticking to the pasta?
Make sure the sauce has reduced enough before adding the rigatoni, and don’t rinse the cooked pasta. Tossing the pasta directly through the sauce with a splash of reserved starchy pasta water helps the sauce emulsify and cling to every piece.
Easy 30-Minute Sausage and Pepper Pasta
This easy sausage and pepper pasta combines juicy Italian-style sausage, sweet bell pepper and rigatoni in a rich, herby tomato sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a simple and inexpensive family dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
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Servings: 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 400 g (1 lb) rigatoni
- 500 g (1 lb) Italian-style chicken sausages, casings removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (7 oz) x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato purée
- 60 ml (¼ cup) beef or chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube
- 60 ml (¼ cup) red wine, optional
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
- ½ tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ tablespoon Italian herb mix
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
- 190 ml (¾ cup) roasted pepper stir-through sauce
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil and cook the rigatoni until just al dente. Reserve a mugful of the pasta water before draining.
- Brown the sausage. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or casserole over medium-high heat. Add the sausage meat, breaking it into bite-sized pieces, and cook until well browned. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the aromatics. Add the diced onion to the same pan and cook until softened, scraping up the browned sausage bits from the bottom. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Build the flavour base. Add the tomato purée, thyme, oregano, Italian herbs and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the tomato purée darkens slightly. Pour in the red wine, if using, and let it bubble and reduce briefly. Add the concentrated stock and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.
- Make the sauce. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, then add the diced bell pepper and roasted pepper stir-through sauce. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the pepper begins to soften and the sauce starts to thicken.
- Return the sausage. Add the browned sausage back to the pan and stir through the sauce. Simmer gently until the sausage is cooked through and the sauce is rich and thick. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Add the pasta. Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce and toss thoroughly until coated. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta.
- Serve. Divide between bowls and finish with grated Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- Stock: The stock is deliberately concentrated. Dissolving one stock cube in just 60ml of water adds plenty of savoury flavour without making the tomato sauce watery.
- Red wine: The wine is optional and can simply be left out. There’s no need to replace it with additional liquid.
- Chilli: Add the red pepper flakes according to how much heat you like. You can leave them out completely for a milder, family-friendly pasta.
- Pasta: Rigatoni works particularly well because its ridges and hollow centre catch the chunky sausage sauce. Penne or another sturdy short pasta also works well.
- Freezing: For the best texture, freeze the sausage and pepper sauce without the pasta for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, reheat thoroughly and toss with freshly cooked pasta.
Nutrition
Calories: 500kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 182mg | Potassium: 617mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1116IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 3mg
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Meet the Chef!
Hi, I’m Debs, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef dedicated to helping you create unforgettable meals on a budget. Discover more about my journey and dive into a world of foolproof recipes designed for those who love to eat well without overspending.
Loved this recipe! Thanks.