Spicy Sausage and Noodles – Delicious!

I was looking for something a little different to regular spaghetti Bolognese, something that was light, full of flavor, but filling and satisfying.

I was looking for something different than regular spaghetti, something that was light, full of flavor, but filling and satisfying.

Bowl of Spicy Sausage and Noodles

With our garden giving us so many delicious red bell peppers that I was able to can, I wanted to use them as well, in order to rotate our storage a bit. What I created was something that even my youngest loved. It’s spicy, but not overly so.

It’s a little spicy, but not overly so. What I like is being able to use fresh herbs from the garden like basil and oregano as well as parsley or cilantro for the topping. In winter I use my dried herbs.

The recipe is called spicy sausage and noodles, but it’s not that spicy unless you add the paprika. And it also depends on the spiciness of the sausage. The taste when I made it with bacon sausage was mild enough for youngsters, and I did not add the paprika.

The recipe calls for noodles. What’s the difference between pasta and noodles is a common question? Well, if you are Italian, it makes a big difference. In Italy, high end pasta is made from 100% durum wheat semolina – a wheat grain that is more golden in color and has a coarser grain than ordinary wheat flour.

Elsewhere in the world, wheat flour is often substituted for making pasta as durum wheat semolina is expensive. Asian noodles may sometimes be made of rice flour, wheat flour and sometimes even mung bean starch. What you choose to use for the noodles is up to you.

spicy sausage and noodles

Spicy Sausage Noodles With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 8
Calories 530 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb precooked chicken, beef sausage, pork or bacon sausage cut into coins – this is 454 grams
  • 1 lb pasta of choice I used homemade – this is 454 grams
  • 1 pint canned red peppers, drained or use 3 fresh red bell peppers that you have roasted – this is about 403 grams
  • 4 cloves garlic crushed and chopped
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons dried basil or 1 ½tablespoons fresh finely chopped basil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano or 1 ½ teaspoons of finely chopped fresh oregano
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil or coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika optional

Instructions
 

  • If you are roasting the red peppers yourself then your first step will be to preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Centigrade). If you are using canned roasted peppers, then skip down to step 5 to start.
  • Oil the exterior of whole red peppers with olive oil – either use a brush or your hands.
  • Pop into the preheated oven and roast for around 20 minutes, turning with tongs after ten minutes, until skins blister and blacken.
  • Remove from the oven and immediately place in a bowl with an airtight lid, or wrap in foil, or place into a heavy duty plastic bag. Allow to ‘sweat’ for around 10 minutes by which time they should be cool enough to handle – the skin will peel off and seeds and stems can be removed.
  • If using canned red peppers, skip steps 1 to 4 and simply open the can of red peppers and chop them up.
  • Next heat up 5 quarts of water in a large pot to cook the pasta, making sure to add a teaspoon of salt to the water. It is not necessary to add oil.
  • Once water has come to a rolling boil, add the pasta a bit at a time, so the water does not go off the boil. Turn down the heat a little so it still continues to boil, and stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking, then place a lid on the pot and allow to boil for twenty minutes.
  • While the pasta is cooking, place another saucepan on the stove, set the heat to medium and add  2 teaspoons of oil.
  • Add the chopped garlic and onion, salt and pepper and sauté for a couple of minutes until the onion is turning translucent and gaining a little golden color – make sure it does not burn.
  • Add the drained peppers, and stir into the mix.
  • Add the remaining herbs and seasonings to taste, turn down the heat and let simmer while the pasta is cooking.
  • Cut the sausage (precooked) in coins and add to the sauce.
  • When the pasta is cooked al dente (done but still firm) test Italian style by throwing a piece onto the splashback – if it sticks it’s done, if it falls off it needs some more cooking. This works for spaghetti and linguini. Other pasta types, like penne and shells will need a taste test – for the bite test the pasta should be tender but firmer towards the center.
  • Once the pasta is cooked to your liking, drain and then put back into the pot. Notice we do not rinse the pasta as the bit of starch left on it will help the sauce adhere.
  • Add the sausage and sauce mix and gently combine.
  • Pour into your serving dish or serve straight from the pot.
  • Top each serving with shredded parmesan cheese, if desired.
  • Garnish with some strips of red pepper and finely chopped parsley to add color.

Variation with Cheesy Sauce

The above recipe does not have a cheesy sauce, but if you want to add in a cheesy sauce, then you can make this separately.

Just bear in mind that it will add to the calorie count for those on a diet (around an extra 100 calories per serving), and will add to the cost. It is however, delightfully cheesy and delicious.

Cheesy Sauce Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup flour
  • 4 cups milk
  • 3 cups cheddar cheese grated
  • salt to taste
  • fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Heat a saucepan on medium heat and drop in the butter.
  • Once the butter has melted and started to bubble add in the flour all at once and mix to form a paste, then allow to cook for about a minute or two once combined, making sure to keep stirring.
  • Stirring all the time add the milk a little at a time until it has all been incorporated and you have a smooth white sauce.
  • Add the cheese and allow to bubble.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the pepper/onion/garlic mix.
  • Combine with the pasta.

last updated on Feb 16th 2021 by Jeanie Beales

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