This 25-minute Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta combines crumbled hot Italian sausage with a rich tomato cream sauce for an easy, flavorful weeknight dinner.
Browning the sausage first builds flavor fast, while aromatics, wine, diced tomatoes, and cream create a rustic sauce with just the right amount of heat. If you love sausage pasta, try my andouille sausage pasta next.
Recipe Summary: Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta
- ✅ Recipe Name: Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta
- 🕒 Ready In: 25 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 6 (easy to scale)
- 🍽 Calories: 468 per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Pasta, hot Italian sausage, fire-roasted tomatoes, heavy cream, tomato paste, Parmesan
- 📖 Dietary Info: Make-ahead friendly, easily made less spicy with mild Italian sausage
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Ready in just 25 minutes, this spicy sausage pasta has a rich tomato cream sauce and tons of bold flavor for an easy weeknight dinner.
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This spicy sausage pasta is one of my favorite quick dinners when I want something rich, comforting, and full of flavor without spending all night in the kitchen. Browning the sausage well builds a savory base for the sauce, while fire-roasted tomatoes, garlic, white wine, cream, and Parmesan come together into a rustic tomato cream sauce with just the right amount of heat.
Ready in just 25 minutes, it’s an easy weeknight pasta that still feels a little special. If you’re looking for more sausage pasta recipes, try my andouille sausage pasta or this Italian sausage gnocchi.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick and easy: Ready in just 25 minutes, making it perfect for weeknight dinners.
- Big, bold flavor: Hot Italian sausage, garlic, tomato paste, wine, and fire-roasted tomatoes give the sauce tons of depth without a long cook time.
- Rich and creamy: Heavy cream and Parmesan balance the spicy sausage and tomatoes for a creamy, savory sauce that clings perfectly to the pasta.
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Key Ingredients
- Rigatoni pasta. I love how the ridges hold onto the creamy tomato sauce, but penne or ziti work well too.
- Hot Italian sausage. Gives the pasta its bold, savory flavor and plenty of heat. Mild or sweet Italian sausage works for a less spicy version. If you love Italian sausage, try my sausage gnocchi recipe too.
- Tomato paste. Adds concentrated tomato flavor. Cook it for 2–3 minutes until deep red to develop its flavor before adding the liquids.
- Dry white wine. Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc adds acidity and depth to the sauce. Chicken broth can be substituted.
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Give the sauce its rustic texture and a subtle smoky flavor.
- Heavy cream. Turns the tomato mixture into a rich, creamy sauce without overpowering the sausage.
See the recipe card at the end for the full list of ingredients with the quantities.
Variations
| Spice Level | For a milder pasta, use sweet or mild Italian sausage instead of hot Italian sausage, or omit the crushed red pepper flakes. For extra heat, simply add more red pepper flakes. |
| Liquid Swaps | Replace the white wine with chicken stock if you prefer. Regular diced tomatoes can be used instead of fire-roasted tomatoes, or substitute about 1½ cups roasted fresh tomatoes. |
| Veggie Add-Ins | Add sautéed bell peppers, jarred roasted red peppers, or fresh spinach for an easy vegetable addition. |
| Meat Swaps | Italian-style chicken sausage or turkey sausage both work well. You can also use ground pork and add crushed fennel seeds and red pepper flakes to give it more Italian sausage flavor. |
How to Make Spicy Sausage Pasta
- Step 1: Heat butter and oil. Add sausage, casings removed.
- Step 2: Break up sausage and cook until well browned.
- Step 3: Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in spices and tomato paste.
- Step 4: Cook tomato paste 2–3 minutes, until deep red.
- Step 5: Pour in the wine.
- Step 6: Simmer until wine is mostly reduced.
- Step 7: Stir in diced tomatoes and cream.
- Step 8: Simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Step 9: Add pasta, Parmesan, and a splash of pasta water. Toss to coat.
Expert Tips
- Brown the sausage well. Let it develop some color before adding the other ingredients. Those browned bits add a lot of flavor to the finished sauce.
- Cook the tomato paste. Give it 2–3 minutes in the pan until it darkens to a deep red to take away the raw taste and intensify the tomato flavor.
- Use a short pasta shape. Rigatoni, penne, or ziti hold onto the chunky, creamy sauce better than long pasta.
- Save a little pasta water. If the sauce gets too thick after adding the pasta, loosen it with a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Adjust the heat to taste. Use mild Italian sausage and reduce or omit the red pepper flakes if you want a less spicy version.
Serving Suggestions
- Toppings. Finish with extra grated Parmesan and fresh basil for a salty, fresh contrast to the rich sauce.
- Light sides. Pair with a simple arugula salad dressed with lemon and olive oil, or my parmesan asparagus to balance the richness of the pasta.
- Garlic bread. Serve with warm garlic bread to soak up the extra tomato cream sauce.
Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta FAQs
Brown hot Italian sausage until well caramelized, then build the sauce in the same pan with garlic, tomato paste, white wine, fire-roasted tomatoes, and heavy cream. Toss with cooked pasta and finish with Parmesan for a rich, creamy spicy sausage pasta.
A tomato cream sauce pairs especially well with Italian sausage because the acidity of the tomatoes and richness of the cream balance the savory, spicy sausage. Garlic, Parmesan, and a little white wine add even more depth.
Spicy Italian sausage pairs well with creamy sauces, tomatoes, Parmesan, garlic, peppers, greens, and sturdy pasta shapes like rigatoni or penne. For this pasta, a simple salad or roasted vegetable makes a great side.
More Sausage Recipes
If you tried this Spicy Sausage Pasta or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- large saute pan
- large soup pot or Dutch oven
- colander or spider skimmer
Ingredients
- 8 oz rigatoni pasta, or your favorite pasta shape
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lb spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 5 cloves garlic, sliced or minced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- 1. Boil your pasta in salted water according to package directions for al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water for the sauce before draining. 2. While pasta cooks, make the sauce. In a large deep sauce pan over medium heat, heat olive oil and butter, until butter is fully melted. 3. Add the sausage to the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up as you go, until browned, 5-6 minutes. 4. Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant, 1 minute. 5. Add tomato paste, dried basil and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes, until color deepens. 6. Deglaze pan with wine, and cook, stirring for 4-5 minutes until wine is mostly evaporated. 7. Add the diced tomatoes, and cream, and simmer for 5-6 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened. 8. Add the cooked pasta, reserved pasta water and parmesan cheese, and toss to combine. Cook 2-3 minutes more until thick and glossy. 9. Serve with fresh chopped basil, and additional grated parmesan.
Notes
- Sausage: Use hot Italian sausage for the most flavor and heat. Mild or sweet Italian sausage can be substituted for a less spicy version.
- Pasta: Rigatoni, penne, or ziti all work well. Reserve a little pasta water before draining in case the sauce needs loosening.
- Tomato paste: Cook it for 2–3 minutes until it darkens to a deep red before adding the wine for the best flavor.
- Wine: Use a dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Chicken broth can be substituted.
- Heat level: Reduce or omit the crushed red pepper flakes if you prefer a milder pasta.
- Sauce consistency: If the sauce becomes too thick after adding the pasta, stir in a splash of reserved pasta water until it reaches your preferred consistency.
- Storing. Store cooled leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freezing is not recommend for this recipe.
- Reheating. Add a splash of milk or water to loosen everything up and get the sauce nice and glossy. Warm over low heat in a saucepan, or microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between.
Sharon says
I’ve been making this spicy sausage pasta for years, and it’s still one of my favorite quick weeknight dinners. The sauce is rich and creamy without being too heavy, and I love how much flavor you get from browning the sausage and tomato paste first.
Cheryl says
I have made this several times now and it is very easy to make and delicious I have made the following change I added minced half sweet onion and added spinach at the end to mix with the pasta my husband loved it. this is a keeper
Sharon says
So happy you both enjoy the recipe, Cheryl! Those sound like great additions!
Devin says
I recently made this and swear it's one of the best dishes I've ever cooked (thanks to you!). My husband said "let's keep this in the dinner rotation" which he doesn't say often haha and the kids happily enjoyed left overs the next day which says A LOT! Looking forward to making another one of your recipes this week. Thanks!
Sharon says
So happy to hear this! Thank you Devin!
Alicia says
Amazing!
Jacqueline Hahnlen says
Came out amazing! I did tweak it though. I did a full pound of hot Italian sausage, did 16oz of the rigatoni, 1 cup of grated Parmesan, and a tablespoon of flour to thicken it up a bit. I’m really happy with the outcome!!
Sharon Farnell says
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Lena Rink says
So good!
Sharon Farnell says
Thanks, Lena!
Lisa says
Doubled the recipe and it was delicious. No leftovers! Thank you
Sharon Farnell says
So happy to hear this, Lisa!
Avery C says
This recipe was perfect. Perfect for a week night dinner, and oh my - the leftovers were the perfect lunch for work! I swear, it got better each day!!! Definitely don’t hesitate to make this recipe. I could not recommend it enough.
Sharon Farnell says
Thanks so much, Avery! So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Sandy says
Wow, so delicious and easy!! I doubled the recipe and used ground hot Italian sausage and subbed one can of fire-roasted tomatoes and one can of diced and crushed tomatoes and also subbed chicken broth for the wine as I did not have the wine and had only one can of fire-roasted tomatoes. My family loved it and my 11 year-old daughter gobbled it down! This will be made again very soon in our home.
Sharon Farnell says
So happy your family enjoyed the recipe, Sandy!
CC says
Excellent recipe! I made a double batch to make sure we’d have plenty of leftovers. It was delicious.
Sharon Farnell says
Thanks so much! So happy you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Rachel Sutherland says
What a delicious recipe! I will be making this again very soon!
Sharon Farnell says
Thank you Rachel!
Patty says
I made this dish for my parents, and they loved it. Full of flavor and everyone wanted seconds. I will definitely make it again.
Sharon Farnell says
Thank you Patty! So happy you and your family enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
Alicia says
Hubby said he'd eat this over any Italian restaurant pasta! It's become a new regular in our menu rotation. Thanks for the recipe!
Sharon Farnell says
So happy to hear this, Alicia!
Kerri says
This was perfect! Made exactly as the recipe and it wasn't too spicy. Hubby said that he could use more sausage, so next time I'm going to add the other 2 links.
Sharon Farnell says
So happy you and your hubby enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for sharing 🙂