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    Italian Sausage Pasta with Vegetables

    By Julia | Updated: Feb 18, 2023 | Published: May 26, 2018 | 34 Comments

    15.7K shares
    • Facebook831
    Jump to Recipe Print SaveSaved!
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    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)!

    italian sausage pasta with vegetables

     

    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

    Italian Sausage Pasta with Vegetables, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, fresh tomatoes in cajun spices, with a splash of red wine!

    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.

    Italian Sausage Pasta with Vegetables, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, fresh tomatoes in cajun spices, with a splash of red wine

    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:

    cooking onions, garlic, and Italian sausage in a skillet

    Add chopped bell peppers:

    adding sliced bell peppers to the skillet with Italian sausage

    Then, immediately add tomatoes:

    adding tomatoes to green bell peppers and sausage skillet

    You can even add more tomatoes:

    adding more tomatoes to the pasta skillet

    Next, add mushrooms:

    adding mushrooms to the pasta skillet with vegetables

    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:

    cooking sausage, sliced green bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms

    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:

    adding wine to the sausage and pasta skillet

    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:

    sprinkling grated parmesan cheese on top of pasta

    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
    4.64 from 30 votes

    Italian Sausage Pasta with Vegetables

    Italian Sausage Pasta with Vegetables - easy-to-make family friendly weeknight dinner recipe that everyone at home will love! Italian sausage is seared to perfection with bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, fresh tomatoes in cajun spices, with a splash of red wine! Then, the sausage and vegetables are tossed with penne pasta and topped with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 5 servings
    Calories per serving 694 kcal
    Author: Julia

    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)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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 Information
    Italian Sausage Pasta with Vegetables
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    694
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    38
    g
    58
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    12
    g
    75
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    75
    mg
    25
    %
    Sodium
     
    838
    mg
    36
    %
    Potassium
     
    912
    mg
    26
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    54
    g
    18
    %
    Fiber
     
    4
    g
    17
    %
    Sugar
     
    7
    g
    8
    %
    Protein
     
    27
    g
    54
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    2335
    IU
    47
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    49
    mg
    59
    %
    Calcium
     
    172
    mg
    17
    %
    Iron
     
    3
    mg
    17
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    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.

    Keyword Italian sausage pasta, italian sausage recipes

    This recipe was originally published on February 19, 2015, and republished with updates, and cooking tips in May 2018.

    « Baked Cod and Asparagus with Garlic Lemon Caper Sauce
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    15.7K shares
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Tammy

      September 24, 2021 at 7:34 pm

      What could I substitute for the wine?

      Reply
      • Julia

        September 25, 2021 at 12:25 pm

        Use chicken broth. Enjoy!

        Reply
        • Jan S

          January 25, 2022 at 2:01 pm

          Definitely!

          Reply
    2. Monica

      September 23, 2020 at 6:15 pm

      Love this! Do you think adding a red/white sauce to this recipe would work well?

      Reply
    3. Michael

      May 25, 2020 at 1:56 am

      Cajun, not cashing

      Reply
    4. Michael

      May 25, 2020 at 1:53 am

      Delicious, though I modified seasoning. Serving mom cashing anything wouldn’t fly. I substituted salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Perfection!

      Reply
    5. Ramona

      December 30, 2019 at 5:32 pm

      Made this today. It is delicious. Even My picky 6 y/o granddaughter love it.

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 20, 2020 at 4:27 pm

        Thank you! I am happy you enjoyed this pasta!

        Reply
        • Ramona

          October 31, 2021 at 9:27 pm

          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.

          Reply
          • Julia

            November 03, 2021 at 2:23 pm

            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.

            Reply
    6. Carol

      January 15, 2018 at 1:21 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 26, 2018 at 7:03 pm

        Thank you, Carol, for sharing your changes to this recipe. You made some great changes!

        Reply
    7. Alisa

      January 14, 2018 at 9:16 pm

      Delicious, I will make it again! Thank you

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 26, 2018 at 7:10 pm

        So glad you liked it!

        Reply
    8. Rachel

      September 18, 2016 at 1:43 pm

      What is the calorie intake?

      Reply
    9. Cee Cee

      August 12, 2016 at 7:37 pm

      I made this dish without the mushrooms, added chicken breast and used cooking red wine instead and it was great!

      Reply
    10. Lily

      April 03, 2016 at 6:53 pm

      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

      Reply
    11. Chris @ The Café Sucré Farine

      February 20, 2015 at 5:24 pm

      I love everything about this Julia. Wish I was having it for dinner tonight! Pinning it.

      Reply
    12. Monique

      February 20, 2015 at 8:56 am

      Looks like something we would love Julia..Thank you!

      Reply
    13. Angie@Angie's Recipes

      February 20, 2015 at 6:18 am

      A really hearty and moreish meal!

      Reply
    14. Matt

      February 19, 2015 at 8:24 pm

      Looks good minus the shrooms!

      Reply
    15. Stacy | Wicked Good Kitchen

      February 19, 2015 at 8:22 pm

      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)!

      Reply
    Newer Comments »

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    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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