Description
This Sausage and Pea Pasta recipe is a quick and flavorful weeknight dinner that combines tender orecchiette pasta with savory sweet Italian sausage, sweet peas, and a creamy tomato sauce. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s a comforting and satisfying dish perfect for busy evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound dry orecchiette pasta (or short pasta of your choice)
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
Sauce
- 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 dry orecchiette pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. This usually takes about 9-11 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Brown Sausage and Sauté Vegetables: While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and sausage (with casings removed). Sauté, breaking up the sausage into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is fully cooked and the onions are softened, about 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant. Drain off any excess fat from the pan. Season the mixture with dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Simmer Sauce: Pour the canned diced tomatoes along with their liquid and the low-sodium chicken broth into the skillet. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly and the flavors to meld.
- Add Peas and Cream: Stir in the thawed sweet baby peas and heavy cream. Mix well and warm through for a couple of minutes so the peas are heated and the cream is incorporated smoothly into the sauce.
- Combine and Serve: Add the drained pasta back into the pot or directly into the skillet with the sausage and sauce mixture. Stir well to combine everything evenly. Serve the pasta immediately in shallow bowls, topped with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- For a spicier dish, increase the crushed red pepper flakes to ¼ teaspoon or more.
- You can substitute sweet Italian sausage with spicy Italian sausage if you prefer a little heat.
- Frozen peas can be substituted with fresh peas when in season for a sweeter taste.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free if needed.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
