Description
This Italian Sausage Bow Tie Pasta is a quick, comforting weeknight dinner featuring spicy Italian sausage, colorful bell peppers, and a rich tomato sauce tossed with farfalle pasta. It’s a crowd-pleaser that’s easy to adapt for different diets and always delivers big flavor with minimal fuss.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz bow tie pasta (farfalle)
- 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed (spicy or sweet, pork or chicken)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (plus extra for garnish, optional)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add bow tie pasta and cook according to package directions (about 10-12 minutes) until just al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through (6-8 minutes). Spoon off excess fat if needed.
- Lower heat to medium. Add diced onion and both sliced bell peppers. Cook, stirring, until softened (about 5-6 minutes). Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes (if using). Season with salt and black pepper. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens.
- Add drained pasta to the skillet (or combine everything in the pasta pot if needed). Stir well to coat pasta with sauce. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time if sauce is too thick.
- Stir in chopped basil. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot, topped with grated parmesan and extra basil if desired.
Notes
Reserve some pasta water to adjust sauce consistency. For a lighter meal, use turkey or chicken sausage. Make it gluten-free with GF pasta, or dairy-free by omitting parmesan. Add extra veggies like spinach or arugula for more nutrition. Leftovers keep well and flavors deepen overnight.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 525
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 950
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 24
Keywords: Italian sausage pasta, bow tie pasta, weeknight dinner, farfalle, sausage pasta recipe, easy pasta, comfort food, family dinner, one pot meal, Italian recipe