One-Pot Creamy Red Wine Sausage Pasta (Print Version)

Rich, creamy pasta with sausage, tomatoes, and red wine simmered in one pot for maximum flavor and minimal cleanup.

# Components:

→ Meats

01 - 10 oz Italian sausage (mild or spicy), sliced or crumbled, casings removed if desired

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes

→ Pasta

06 - 10 oz penne or rigatoni

→ Liquids

07 - 1/2 cup dry red wine
08 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
10 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Spices & Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

15 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Heat a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking up any large pieces, about 3 to 4 minutes.
02 - Add the onion and bell pepper. Sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
04 - Add the crushed tomatoes, soy sauce, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes if using, uncooked pasta, and chicken broth. Stir to combine.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream and simmer uncovered for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with Parmesan and fresh herbs before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means you'll actually want to make this on a Tuesday night instead of ordering takeout.
  • The sausage does the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you don't need to fuss with complex techniques or rare ingredients.
  • Red wine and cream transform into a sauce so rich it tastes like you've been simmering it for hours, even though it's done in half the time.
02 -
  • Don't skip the wine reduction step—those 2 minutes aren't negotiable because they transform sharp alcohol into rounded flavor, and rushing it means your sauce tastes boozy instead of rich.
  • Stir the pasta occasionally as it cooks because it wants to stick to the bottom, and once it does, you're fighting an uphill battle to get it unstuck without scorching things.
  • Add the cream at the very end, not at the beginning, because if you simmer it for 14 minutes it breaks down and becomes grainy instead of silky.
03 -
  • Buy sausage that's fresh and good quality because it's doing 60% of the flavor work—this is not the place to save money.
  • Keep the soy sauce bottle nearby even after you've added it because a teaspoon more at the end deepens everything without making it taste salty.
Return