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Italian Drunken Noodles

A quick and comforting dish that combines the essence of Italian flavors with a classic Thai noodle recipe, featuring juicy sausage, bell peppers, and a silky tomato wine sauce.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Comfort Food, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Fusion, Italian
Calories: 600
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Sausage
  • 12 ounces wide noodles, pappardelle, or wide egg noodles Wide noodles catch the sauce well.
  • 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed Can substitute with ground turkey or chicken.
Vegetables
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 each red and yellow bell pepper, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce and Seasoning
  • 1 cup red wine (Chianti or Sangiovese preferred) Choose a wine you'd enjoy sipping.
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes (14 to 15 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes Adjust to taste.
  • to taste olive oil, salt, and black pepper
To Serve
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped For garnish.
  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped For garnish.
  • to taste Grated Parmesan Optional for serving.

Method
 

Cooking the Pasta
  1. Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve about a cup of pasta water before draining.
Cooking the Sauce
  1. Brown the sausage in a large skillet with a little olive oil. Break it into crumbles and cook until crisp at the edges. Transfer to a plate.
  2. In the same skillet, add onion and peppers with a pinch of salt. Sauté until softened and slightly caramelized.
  3. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, and let the wine reduce by half.
  5. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, simmer for 5 minutes, then return the sausage to the pan.
Combining Everything
  1. Toss in the cooked noodles, plus a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes so everything hugs together.
  2. Finish with fresh basil, parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or heat as desired.
  3. Serve hot with grated Parmesan and an extra pinch of red pepper flakes.

Notes

This dish reheats well and flavors improve the next day. Pairs wonderfully with a green salad or garlicky broccoli.