Description
A comforting skillet dish of caramelized peppers, savory sausage, and pasta, bursting with flavor and simplicity.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ lb mild or spicy Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
- 2 tbsp tomato paste, divided
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- ½ sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 2 medium red or yellow bell peppers, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1½ tsp light brown sugar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 8 oz dry short-cut pasta (rigatoni, penne, or fusilli)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- Toasted breadcrumbs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the sausage and cook until browned and just cooked through.
- Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until caramelized.
- Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the onions and bell peppers. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until softened and caramelized.
- Stir in the remaining 1 tbsp tomato paste, garlic, brown sugar, oregano, and balsamic vinegar.
- Season with kosher salt and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until jammy.
- If the peppers start to dry out, add a splash of water and let it simmer.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in generously salted boiling water 1 minute less than the package instructions.
- Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Add the pasta and cooked sausage back into the skillet with the peppers.
- Pour in ¼ cup reserved pasta water, stirring for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta.
- Add more pasta water as needed for a silky texture.
- Serve immediately, topped with toasted breadcrumbs, if desired.
Notes
For a vegetarian option, use smoked tempeh or marinated tofu. You can also use turkey sausage for a lighter dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 70mg