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Spicy Sausage Pasta kicks up your favorite pasta dish with a bit of spice. You will love how easy this comforting Italian meal comes together. Serve with your favorite crusty bread to soak up all that delicious sauce!
This Spicy Sausage Pasta comes together in about 40 minutes with andouille sausage, crushed tomatoes, a splash of cream, and melted mozzarella and Parmesan stirred through elbow macaroni. Crushed red pepper brings the heat, and it’s easy to dial up or down depending on who’s at the table.
If you can’t find andouille, a spicy Italian sausage works just as well. Making this for kids who don’t love spice? Use regular sausage and stir the crushed red pepper into just half the pot. I make a pasta dish like this at least once a week in the winter, and this one gets requested more than most. If you’re into comforting pasta dinners, you’ll also want to try this Creamy Chicken Chorizo Pasta Recipe, Italian Sausage Pasta Bake, Italian Sausage Pasta, Baked Rigatoni with Meatballs and this Easy Baked Ziti. These are on rotation at my house.
Why This Recipe Works
Andouille sausage is already well-seasoned and smoky, so it builds a flavorful base without needing a long ingredient list. Browning it first, then building the sauce in the same pan, means the sauce picks up all that flavor left behind in the skillet. A small amount of cream stirred in at the end rounds out the acidity of the tomatoes without turning the dish heavy, and adding the crushed red pepper separately (rather than cooking it in) means you can control the heat per serving instead of committing the whole pot to one spice level.
Recipe Ingredients You’ll Need
Please see the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and instructions.
- Sausage: Sausage is used in this pasta dish. If you can find andouille I like to use that because it adds extra spice to the dish. If you can’t find that type of sausage feel free to use regular sausage or a spicy Italian sausage. I remove the casing from the sausage before cooking it.
- Pasta: This pasta dish works nicely with a medium sized pasta. I used elbow macaroni but any medium variety would be great in this dish. If you want a lighter meal you can try whole wheat or instead of pasta use zoodles.
- Spinach: I love adding greens to my pasta dishes to add in that extra boost of vegetables. You can either chop the spinach or leave it whole. Once it wilts down it will be pretty small within the dish. I also like to use kale and arugula.
- Spices: Spices add flavor to this pasta dish. I used an Italian seasoning along with the crushed red pepper for extra spice.
- Cheese: Shredded mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese is used at the end of the recipe. If you want to get the cheese nice and bubbly you can heat it in the oven for about 2-3 minutes at 350 degrees F. Otherwise just sprinkle it on and it will usually melt on its own.
Recipe Modifications
- Protein: I used sausage in this pasta dish but you can use any ground meat you like. I often will use ground turkey, ground chicken or ground beef in a dish like this.
- Vegetables: If you want to bulk up the vegetables you can add any vegetable you have on hand like bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms or zucchini.
- Cheese: You can modify the cheese in this dish. Goat cheese or feta cheese is always a nice option!
- Beans: If you want to add beans try chickpeas or white beans. They are great additions to this pasta.
- Greens: I like adding spinach, kale or arugula into this pasta. Add it at the end of cooking and let it wilt.
If you like pasta recipes with chicken try my Creamy Chicken Pasta or this Chicken Enchilada Sliders.
How do You Make Spicy Sausage Pasta
Step 1: Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package {al dente}. Drain and set aside.
Step 2: Cook Sausage: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil andouille sausage and cook for 5 minutes, breaking apart with a spoon to crumble the sausage. Drain the fat.
Step 3: Make Sauce: Add the 2 Tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Mix the sausage back in along with the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepped {optional} and give it a good stir. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 4: Add Cream & Pasta: Add the pasta and the cream, stir and let simmer another 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and let it wilt. Mix in the mozzarella cheese and let melt. Sprinkle the green onion and parsley and the Parmesan cheese over the pasta.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the sausage browning time. Give it the full 5 minutes so it develops color, this is where most of the flavor comes from.
- Not draining the fat. Andouille releases a good amount of fat as it cooks. Drain it before adding the garlic or the sauce will taste greasy instead of rich.
- Adding all the crushed red pepper at once if you’re serving picky eaters. Hold it back and add it directly to the pot per portion instead.
- Overcooking the pasta before it hits the sauce. Cook it just shy of al dente since it will continue to soften as it simmers with the cream.
- Adding the spinach too early. Stir it in at the very end so it wilts without turning the whole dish watery.
Storage Tips
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave, adding a splash of cream or broth to loosen the sauce back up.
- To freeze, let the pasta cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Recipe FAQ
With the full 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, it has a moderate kick. Start with 1/2 teaspoon if you’re not sure, or add it directly to individual bowls instead of the whole pot so everyone can control their own heat level.
Yes. Leaving out the cream gives you a lighter, more tomato-forward sauce. You can also swap in half and half for a slightly less rich version.
Andouille sausage gives the most smoky, well-seasoned flavor, but spicy Italian sausage is a close substitute. For a milder version, use regular Italian or breakfast sausage and add crushed red pepper separately to taste.
Yes, though pasta dishes with cream are best made close to serving time. If you do make it ahead, slightly undercook the pasta so it doesn’t turn mushy when reheated.
More Pasta Recipes to Try
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Spicy Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounce of elbow macaroni
- 1 pound of Andouille sausage {or spicy Italian sausage}
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 – 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
- 1 – 6 ounce can of tomato paste
- 1 – 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes
- 1 cup spinach or kale, chopped
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, for garnish, chopped
- 2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the andouille sausage, and cook for 5 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon as it browns. Drain the fat.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant.
- Mix the sausage back in along with the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper, if using. Stir well.
- Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cooked pasta and the cream, stir, and let simmer for 5 more minutes. Stir in the spinach and let it wilt.
- Mix in the mozzarella cheese and let it melt. Sprinkle with green onion, parsley, and Parmesan cheese just before serving.
Notes
- Heat Level: Add the crushed red pepper directly to individual bowls instead of the pot if you’re serving kids or spice-sensitive eaters.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of cream or broth to bring the sauce back together.
- Freezing: Cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
