Community recipe
Chicken Sausage Pasta with Quick Pantry Tomato Sauce
A straightforward weeknight Italian-American pasta dinner featuring browned chicken sausage and a quick homemade tomato sauce. Use canned crushed tomatoes for the primary sauce, or use the included tomato-paste alternative when canned tomatoes are limited; pasta water helps loosen and finish either sauce.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
Get ready
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp salt
- 340 g penne pastas
- 240 ml pasta water, reserved before draining
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 450 g chicken sausages, casings removed if needed
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp dried italian seasoning
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
- 170 g tomato paste, alternative to crushed tomatoes (optional)
- 240 ml waters, for the tomato-paste alternative (optional)
- 450 g cooked chicken sausages, from the previous step
- 340 g cooked penne pasta, from the previous step
- 120 ml reserved pasta water, from the first step
- 50 g parmesan cheeses, grated (optional)
Make it
Instructions
- 01
Boil the pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season it with 1 tbsp salt. Add 340 g penne pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 240 ml pasta water, reserved before draining, then drain the pasta.
- 02
Brown the chicken sausage
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 450 g chicken sausage, casings removed if needed and cook, breaking it into bite-size pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer it to a plate, leaving the oil in the skillet.
- 03
Build the homemade tomato sauce
Reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 onion small onion, finely chopped and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced and cook for 30 seconds. Add 800 g crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp dried italian seasoning, 0.5 tsp black pepper, and 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. If canned tomatoes are limited, instead stir 170 g tomato paste, alternative to crushed tomatoes (optional) with 240 ml water, for the tomato-paste alternative (optional) into the skillet and simmer until smooth; do not use both tomato options.
- 04
Combine and finish
Return 450 g cooked chicken sausage, from the previous step to the skillet. Add 340 g cooked penne pasta, from the previous step and 120 ml reserved pasta water, from the first step, tossing until the pasta is coated and the sauce reaches your preferred consistency. Stir in 50 g parmesan cheese, grated (optional) if available, then serve hot.
