Learn How to Make the Base Recipe
This is a variation of our healthy whole grain pasta base recipe. Are you tired of the same old marinara and meat sauce? This sausage and pepper pasta offers a comforting dish that is both easy to prepare and delicious. Whether you’re making it for a quick weeknight dinner or to impress friends during a weekend gathering, this dish guarantees bold flavors, minimal effort, and plenty of compliments.
Three Must-Know Cooking Skills
To make this recipe even easier, check out these videos:
Learn how to slice and dice like a pro in our Knife Skills 101 course!
Culinary Tips for the Best Penne Pasta with Sausage and Peppers
For kitchen efficiency, bring the pasta water to a boil first and begin cooking the pasta.
Generously salt the pasta water for the best flavor; this allows the salt to go inside the pasta while cooking. Don’t be scared of the large amount – not all of the sodium is absorbed by the pasta. In fact, an experiment conducted by Cook’s Illustrated found that only ¼ teaspoon is absorbed per serving!
Don’t add oil to the pasta water! It does not prevent the pasta from sticking together, and it hinders the starch development, which helps the sauce bind to the pasta.
Be sure to cook the pasta al dente. Al dente translates to “to the tooth”, meaning the pasta should still have a slight bite; it should not be mushy.
Be sure to toss the pasta in the sauce rather than just pour the sauce on top. True Italian cooks always combine the two!
Ingredient Substitutions
- Pasta: use any shape or even a combination of shapes, as long as they have the same cooking time. Spaghetti, fettuccine, penne, fusilli, and farfalle are all fun options. For gluten-free options, try pasta made from beans, quinoa, or lentils.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: substitute avocado or canola oil for comparable nutritional benefits, but realize that extra virgin olive oil adds that classic Italian flavor! Looking to buy some extra virgin olive oil? Give Enzo’s Table a try. Not only are their oils quality and delicious, they share a name with Chef V’s oldest son.
- Green Bell Pepper: substitute fresh yellow, red, or orange peppers. These peppers are sweeter than green, so keep that in mind! A mix of peppers would also be fun!
- Yellow Onion: substitute red or white onion or shallot. You can also substitute ¼ – ½ teaspoon onion powder, but fresh is best for flavor, texture, and nutrition.
- Nitrate/Nitrite Free Turkey or Chicken Sausage: Use sweet or spicy Italian versions. You can also substitute Italian style ground turkey.
- Marinara Sauce: we hope you use our homemade recipe, but if you are short on time, you can use store-bought. If buying sauce, look for low-sodium options and simple ingredients.
- Red Pepper Flakes: leave out if you don’t want additional spice. If you are out of red pepper flakes, you can substitute a dash of hot sauce or cayenne pepper.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Yes, heavy cream is high in saturated fat, but we use so little in this recipe, we didn’t give it a second thought! We have found that sour cream works well asa substitute if you want to add some creaminess with less saturated fat.
We like to buy our spices from the Spice House. They have great quality, variety, and flavor!
Recipe Variations
This is your pasta, so add other ingredients to YOUR taste!
Make penne pasta with chicken and peppers by adding pre-cooked chicken instead of sausage to the sauce. Heat through before adding the pasta.
Want some pasta recipe inspiration?
Use our whole grain pasta base recipe as a guide, then have fun exploring other flavors, ingredients, and textures!
Equipment Recommendations
You just need a few simple equipment items for this recipe!
- Large Stock Pot
- 10-12” Sauté Pan
- Cutting Board
- Chef’s Knife
- Colander
- Tongs
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Grater or Microplane (for optional cheese)
Check out our essential equipment guide to stock your kitchen with ALL the tools you need to prepare anything and everything!
Is Whole Grain Pasta Healthy?
Many people avoid pasta due to its high carbohydrate content. However, when eaten in appropriate serving sizes and mixed with a nutrient dense sauce, vegetables, and lean proteins, it makes for a healthy main dish or side! Don’t be scared of carbs!
Whole Grain Pasta
Whole grains are a good source of fiber, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Compared to regular white pasta, whole grain pasta has more than double the amount of fiber! Fiber is important for digestion, satiety, stable blood sugar, good cholesterol, and healthy gut bacteria. Phytonutrients work as antioxidants to help fight off diseases and keep us well.
Marinara Sauce
Tomatoes are the main ingredient in marinara sauce. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a phytonutrient that helps protect against heart disease and prostate cancer. Canned and/or cooked tomatoes are higher in lycopene than fresh.
If you choose to make our classic marinara sauce, know that it is bursting with other nutrient-dense vegetables: onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and herbs. Together, these ingredients provide essential vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that promote health and longevity.
Turkey Sausage without Nitrates or Nitrites
Turkey sausage is a leaner source of protein than beef and pork sausage. Nitrates and nitrites are connected with cancer, so try to avoid them when selecting your products! Turkey is rich in B vitamins and minerals, such as iron.
For more information about the best ingredients to use, check out our ingredient guide!
Serving Suggestions
Serve pasta with a side salad made with a homemade vinaigrette and/or a side of roasted vegetables to make a beautiful Whole Life Plate.
Learn how to build a healthy balanced meal with our Whole Life Plate, meal plan, and book!
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Pasta
Cool pasta completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
To reheat, transfer to a microwave-safe dish and heat through in the microwave. If the pasta looks too dry, drizzle with ½ – 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
Looking for more easy dinner recipes?
Tryout these nutritious and delicious recipes!
Vegetable Stir Fry Base Recipe
Share the Love – Leave us a Review!
Unlike many other recipe blogs, we actually encourage you to tweak our recipes. Not because they’re in need of change, haha, but because we believe one of the secrets to success in the kitchen is cooking to YOUR taste. Make the recipe, leave us a review, and tell us if you made any changes! We love hearing how you’ve made it your own.
Penne Pasta with Sausage and Peppers
Ingredients
- ½ Tablespoon kosher salt
- 8 oz whole grain penne pasta
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ green bell pepper, diced or sliced (~½ cup)
- ½ small yellow onion, diced or sliced (~½ cup)
- 8 oz nitrate/nitrite free Italian turkey or chicken sausage
- 1 3/4 cups Marinara sauce
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add salt. Cook until al dente, according to package directions.
- While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a 10-12” pan over medium heat. Cook the onions until softened, approximately 3 minutes.
- Add the turkey and peppers and cook ~5 minutes until turkey is browned, breaking up the turkey into bite size pieces as it cooks. Add sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer for ~3 minutes.
- Drain the pasta, but do not rinse or add oil to the pasta.
- Remove the sauce from heat. Stir in the cream and then add the pasta. Use tongs to gently combine. Enjoy!
Nutrition
FAQ Questions:
Can I use regular pasta instead of whole wheat penne?
What type of sausage works best for penne pasta with peppers?
Italian turkey or chicken sausage works great for a lighter version, but you can also use sweet or spicy Italian sausage depending on your flavor preference.
Can I make this pasta recipe gluten-free?
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes, this recipe is excellent for meal prep. You can prepare the sauce ahead of time and cook the pasta fresh before serving, or store the fully prepared dish for easy reheating throughout the week.
This Post Has 2 Comments
This Penne Pasta with Sausage and Peppers recipe looks delicious and balanced I love the healthy twist with whole grain pasta and turkey sausage! Perfect for a flavorful weeknight dinner.
We agree!