Italian Sausage Pasta with Vegetables is one of my go-to recipes when I am short on time. This recipe is so easy to make and it's a family-friendly weeknight dinner that everyone at home will love! Italian sausage is seared with bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, and fresh tomatoes in cajun spices, with a splash of red wine! Then, it's tossed with penne pasta and topped with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)!
Ingredients you need for Italian Sausage Pasta
This recipe uses lots of fresh veggies that you will roast in the skillet together with an Italian sausage. Fresh veggies is what makes this pasta dish so special. As well as Cajun seasoning. And the splash of red wine. Below is the list of what you need:
Fresh produce
- onion
- garlic cloves
- bell pepper
- tomatoes
- mushrooms
Sausage and pasta
- olive oil
- Italian sausages (1 pound of sausage or 4 sausage links)
- Cajun seasoning
- red wine
- penne pasta (Tip: for gluten free version use gluten-free brown rice penne, such as Tinkyada brand)
- Parmesan cheese
This has been one of my most favorite pastas for years. I love roasting vegetables on stove top and then mixing them with some meat, pasta and spices! So easy and delicious!
Variations of this kind of Italian sausage pasta are endless - you can use all kinds of vegetables, different kinds of pasta, all sorts of spices. In this recipe, I am using Italian sausage for meat and Cajun seasoning for spice. You couldn't come up with the easier and simpler combination of ingredients than that!
What is Italian sausage?
Italian sausage is a pork sausage seasoned with various spices. The Italian sausage can be mild, medium, and hot. It is often sold in sausage links.
Cooking tips:
- Remove casings from the sausage and slice the sausage into small pieces. Do this even if you use sausage links. This will make the texture of the whole dish much better!
- Do use Cajun seasoning generously - it provides great flavor to vegetables and the pasta.
- To make this dish gluten free, use gluten free brown rice penne - there are many options on the market right now.
How long do you cook Italian sausage?
In this recipe, I used 1 lb of Italian sausage (about 4 sausage links, casings removed). First slice the sausage, then cook for about 5 minutes in a small amount of olive oil. Then, continue cooking the sausage with some liquid in the pan (red wine and juices from the veggies) for about 10-15 more minutes.
How to make Italian Sausage Pasta with Vegetables
And here are step-by-step photos of this very simple recipe that really doesn't need any step-by-step photos! But all the ingredients are so appetizing, I couldn't restrain myself from taking pictures. 🙂
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add sliced Italian sausage, and cook, occasionally stirring, until it's cooked through, drain the fat. Add another tablespoon of olive oil into the skillet with sausage, add chopped onion and garlic, half of the Cajun seasoning - cook, constantly stirring, on high heat until onion softens:
Add chopped bell peppers:
Then, immediately add tomatoes:
You can even add more tomatoes:
Next, add mushrooms:
Add the remaining half of Cajun seasoning to the skillet with sausage and vegetables. Cook for about 2 minutes, constantly stirring, on medium-high heat to sear the vegetables nicely on stove-top:
Add dry red wine to the skillet, bring to boil, reduce to simmer and simmer, covered, occasionally stirring, for about 5-7 minutes. The liquid should reduce somewhat but not completely. Remove from heat. Salt to taste. Add more Cajun seasoning, if necessary:
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and immediately add to the skillet with the sausage and the sauce. Mix everything well, cover, and heat the pasta on low heat for 1-2 minutes. To serve, top Italian sausage pasta with shredded Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper:
Other recipes with sausage and pasta
- If you like creamy pasta sauce with smoked sausage, don't miss this delicious creamy mozzarella pasta with smoked sausage.
- If you like tortellini, be sure to try this sausage and tortellini recipe that's really popular on my site: creamy tortellini with sausage, spinach, and tomatoes.
- And also check out this tasty and a little bit spicy one pot salsa verde pasta with sausage and black beans - it used to be one of my favorite lunches to take to work and one of my favorite recipes ever!
Italian Sausage Pasta with Vegetables
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb Italian sausages , casings removed, sliced
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 bell pepper finely chopped
- 4 tomatoes chopped, or 15 cherry tomatoes, each sliced in half
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
- ¾ cup red wine
- 10 oz penne pasta (for gluten-free, use gluten-free brown rice penne)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded (optional)
Instructions
- Remove casings from the sausage and slice the sausage into small pieces.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add sausage. Cook, occasionally stirring, until it's cooked through, drain the fat. Add another tablespoon of olive oil into the skillet with sausage, add chopped onion and garlic, half of the Cajun seasoning - cook, constantly stirring, on high heat until onion softens.
- Add chopped bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and the remaining half of Cajun seasoning to the skillet with sausage. Cook for about 2 minutes, constantly stirring, on medium-high heat to sear the vegetables nicely on stove-top.
- Add wine to the skillet, bring to boil, reduce to simmer and simmer, covered, occasionally stirring, for about 5-7 minutes. The liquid should reduce somewhat but not completely. Remove from heat. Salt to taste. Add more Cajun seasoning, if necessary.
- Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain and immediately add to the skillet with the sauce. Mix everything well, cover, and heat the pasta on low heat for 1-2 minutes.
- To serve, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese (optional) and black pepper.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This recipe was originally published on February 19, 2015, and republished with updates, and cooking tips in May 2018.
What could I substitute for the wine?
Use chicken broth. Enjoy!
Definitely!
Love this! Do you think adding a red/white sauce to this recipe would work well?
Cajun, not cashing
Delicious, though I modified seasoning. Serving mom cashing anything wouldn’t fly. I substituted salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Perfection!
Made this today. It is delicious. Even My picky 6 y/o granddaughter love it.
Thank you! I am happy you enjoyed this pasta!
Hi Julia,
I’ve prepared this recipe so many times since my 2019 review. I made it again this evening. I usually double the recipe for a family of 6 and have some left over for two lunches. My granddaughter is 8 now and this is still one of her favorites. It’s in my family favorite folder.
Ramona, your comment made my day! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this heartfelt comment - I so appreciate it! It's so nice to read such positive feedback.
I made this dish with mild Italian turkey sausage since I could not find really delicious Italian pork sausage. I'm still searching. I used canned mushroom pieces, and 1/4 tsp Creole seasoning, plus Herbs de Provence to equal 1 tablespoon of seasoning. I had a red pepper so I used it, 15 cherry tomatoes halved and penne. In spite of my substitutions of ingredients this dish was delicious! Hubby and I are planning to go to Dallas to shop for Italian sausage to use in this recipe for our wine pairing dinner with friends this weekend. Guess I'll make my own Cajun seasoning, as well.
Thank you, Carol, for sharing your changes to this recipe. You made some great changes!
Delicious, I will make it again! Thank you
So glad you liked it!
What is the calorie intake?
I made this dish without the mushrooms, added chicken breast and used cooking red wine instead and it was great!
The dish was really good, fairly simple-perfect for someone's first time cooking-it was my first time too. I decided I wanted to make dinner for my family, so I searched up Italian recipes with pasta, veggies and meat, and this popped up. I did make a few changes though. I changed the Cajun spices to rosemary and time, and red whine to white whine,. It turned out amazing, this is a great dish
I love everything about this Julia. Wish I was having it for dinner tonight! Pinning it.
Looks like something we would love Julia..Thank you!
A really hearty and moreish meal!
Looks good minus the shrooms!
Yes, please! Sausage is my favorite meat to pair with vegetables and pasta in a sublime sauce. And, I am all for that splash of red wine and a good dose of Parm! Gorgeous and inviting photography, as always, my friend. Have a fabulous Friday and weekend! 🙂 Pinning (of course)!