Description
This Sausage and Pea Pasta recipe delivers a comforting and flavorful meal in just 20 minutes. Featuring sweet Italian sausage, tender peas, a creamy tomato sauce, and al dente orecchiette pasta, it’s a perfect weeknight dinner that’s both hearty and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound dry orecchiette pasta (or short pasta of your choice)
Sauce and Sausage Mixture
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small sweet onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage links, casings removed
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- â…› teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup frozen sweet baby peas, thawed
- â…“ cup heavy cream
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orecchiette pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta once cooked and set aside.
- Brown Sausage and Sauté Vegetables: While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and the sausage (removing the casings and breaking it up with a wooden spoon). Sauté until the sausage is no longer pink and the onions are softened, about 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 20 seconds until fragrant. Drain off any excess fat. Season the mixture with dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Simmer Sauce: Stir in the undrained diced tomatoes and low-sodium chicken broth. Reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer gently for about 5 minutes, letting it thicken slightly.
- Add Peas and Cream: Add the thawed sweet baby peas and the heavy cream to the skillet. Stir to combine and warm through evenly.
- Combine and Serve: Return the drained pasta to the pot and pour the sausage and sauce mixture over it. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients. Serve immediately in shallow bowls with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Notes
- You can substitute orecchiette pasta with other short pasta shapes like penne or rigatoni.
- If you prefer a spicier dish, increase the amount of crushed red pepper flakes.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk, but the sauce will be less rich.
- Make sure to thaw the frozen peas before adding them to ensure even heating.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to control the saltiness of the sauce.
- Leftover pasta is best stored separately from sauce and reheated together to maintain texture.
