This sausage tomato pasta is the perfect dump dinner. It’s very versatile and can include any vegetables that you have on hand like asparagus, mushrooms, spinach, and bell peppers.
When you think pasta, you think spaghetti in tomato sauce so this sausage tomato spaghetti will definitely hit the spot. Usually, spaghetti and tomato sauce also go over fairly well with kids which makes this the perfect family meal. See the ‘Serving’ section below for tips on how to present this pasta to your picky eater.
I call this a dump dinner because it doesn’t matter what you have in the fridge, you can make this sauce with mostly pantry items if you had to. The rest is just whatever produce you have in the fridge.
As I do with most meats, I buy Italian sausage in bulk and freeze it. I freeze the sausage individually and keep it in a sealable bag in the freezer. This ensures that a dump dinner like this sausage tomato pasta can be made any night of the week. Since I recommend using frozen sausage for this meal, there is also no time wasted on defrosting.
Preparing Sausage Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
Italian Sausage: You can use either spicy or mild raw Italian sausage for this dish.
Vegetables: I used red onions, bell peppers and asparagus. This is really up to your taste and what’s in your fridge. See the ‘substitutions’ section for other suggestions.
Herbs: Italian seasoning, basil and oregano are pretty standard for tomato sauce. If you only have Italian seasoning that really is the bare minimum. Italian seasoning is a mix of various herbs that typically already includes oregano and basil.
Passata: Passata is strained tomatoes which has the consistency of tomato sauce. Once cooked down it thickens slightly but not too much as it doesn’t have too much excess liquid.
How to Make Sausage Tomato Pasta
This is the most versatile and healthy pasta you can make. The passata, herbs and spices are key. Everything else can be substituted. See the ‘Substitutions’ section below for more details.
You want to get your ingredients prepped for this one because once you’re cooking it will move along quickly. Peel the onion and dice it. The size of the dice is entirely up to you. My family prefers them to be small so that’s what I do.
On the other hand, you want to leave the peppers and asparagus in larger pieces. You want to really get the flavour of the veggies in each bite.
Next, peel the garlic and set it aside.
Add the oil to the saucepan and warm it up on medium heat. While the oil heats up, slice the Italian sausage. If you are using fresh Italian sausage, it may be a bit messy to cut thin slices. That’s ok, it’s really not a big deal, just make sure they are bite-size.
TIP: If you are using both spicy and mild sausage
cut one differently than the other. For example, I always cut the mil sausage slices in half. This way when I am serving this to my children I can easily pick out the spicy sausage which they do not like.Add the sausage to the hot oil and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side.
While the sausage cooks, pour water into a medium pot and bring it to a boil.
Back to the saucepan, add the onions, and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally.
Then add the peppers and asparagus. Stir in pressed garlic and add all the herbs, stir once more.
Finally pour in the passata and add the salt, pepper and sugar. The sugar is just enough to cut the sourness of the passata. Mix everything until well combined. Cover and simmer stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
NOTE: You can cook the sausage and vegetables in the sauce. However, this process will take a lot longer. Searing the sausages in oil browns the outside keeping the juices in and creating a slightly different flavour than you will get cooking the sausage in the sauce.
Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. Usually, the noodles need to be cooked for about 8-10 minutes.
Once the noodles are cooked, drain them in a colander and then you are ready to serve. You can turn off the heat under the sauce. Top the spaghetti with tomato sauce, freshly grated parmesan and fresh basil.
Can I make this pasta vegetarian?
Yes!! It’s the easiest meal to make vegetarian. Simply skip the sausage and continue with the remainder of the recipe as written. If you would like to add some protein to replace the sausage you can add 8 ounces of canned chickpeas or canned lentils.
Substitutions
Spaghetti: You can use any style of pasta for this dish. My favourite alternative to spaghetti with tomato sauce is penne. I know, I know, they’re nothing alike. They are equally as tasty but make it feel like two very different dishes.
Vegetables: In this recipe, I used bell peppers and asparagus because that is what I had on hand. Try using mushrooms instead of the asparagus or adding zucchini to either combination. The video below also shows a different variation.
Here is a version of sausage tomato pasta with orange bell pepper, mushrooms and spinach:
Passata: Instead of passata you can use canned crushed tomatoes. The consistency will be more watery. If you find it’s too much liquid add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste as well.
Serving Sausage Tomato Pasta
I like to top the pasta with freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil. If you used mild sausage because you have littles joining you for dinner, try adding some red chili flakes to the plate to add a little spice.
This pasta is also excellent with a side Caesar salad and garlic toast. Even a side of buttered baguette is great to use to sop up the remaining sauce
Tips for Serving Sausage Tomato Pasta to Picky Eaters
This is a great family meal but if you are serving picky eaters, try separating the veggies and sausage from the sauce. Serve the spaghetti topped with just tomato sauce, and put the veggies and sausage on the side.
The buttered baguette will likely go a long way with your picky eater as well. Let them experiment with different combinations, dipping and making their own version of the pasta.
Storing Sausage Tomato Pasta
If you have any sauce leftover, it will keep in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to a week.
The sauce also freezes very well. Store it in a glass jar or sealable freezer bag for up to 3 months. To defrost, leave in the refrigerator overnight and warm in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop. Cook fresh spaghetti while the sauce heats up and you have a fresh homemade meal without any hassle.
Sausage Tomato Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- Medium pot
- Deep saucepan
- Colander
- Knife
Ingredients
- 2 Italian sausages preferably frozen
- 650 ml passata
- 1 onion
- 1 bell pepper
- ½ lb asparagus approx. half a bunch
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 225 g spaghetti
- ¼ cup parmesan freshly grated
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- First, get all of your vegetables ready. Peel and dice the onions, cut the bell pepper into 1-inch squares, wash and chop the asparagus and peel the garlic.1 onion, 1 bell pepper, 3 cloves garlic, ½ lb asparagus
- Pour the oil into the saucepan and set the burner to medium.1 tbsp olive oil
- Slice the Italian sausage into 1/8-inch-thick slices. If you are using frozen sausage, it will be easier to cut it into thin slices.2 Italian sausages
- Once the oil is hot add the sausage to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.2 Italian sausages
- Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil for the spaghetti.
- Add the onions to the suasage, and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally.1 onion, 1 bell pepper, ½ lb asparagus
- Add peppers and asparagus and sautee for 2-3 minutes. Then press in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning, ½ tbsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil
- Add all the herbs and pour in the passata. Then add the salt, pepper and sugar. Stir, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.650 ml passata, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tbsp sugar
- When the water in the pot comes to a boil, add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.225 g spaghetti
- When the pasta is cooked, drain and serve.
- Serve the noodles onto a plate and top with pasta sauce, freshly ground parmesan cheese and fresh basil.¼ cup parmesan, Fresh basil for garnish
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