Italian Sausage Bell Pepper Pasta is a hearty, delicious meal in a bowl. Spicy Italian sausage adds wonderful flavor and a little heat to bright peppers and onions, and hearty greens
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We ate leftovers a lot when I was growing up, because that’s how my mom grew up. When I moved out, I swore off leftovers for the most part, and still do to this day. As a matter of fact, I’ve been cooking lunch and dinner almost every day for about 8 years. People think I’m nuts, but cooking soothes me and I enjoy it.
When I make lunch during the work week I don’t have a ton of time, so I look for recipes that can be on the table in 20 minutes or less. I also want a complete meal, and something that will satisfy me for the afternoon. A couple of my go-to lunch meals are
One of my favorite discoveries a couple of years ago is Johnsonville Italian Sausage. They come in perfect individual portions, and cook up fast. My Orecchiette with Sausage, Kale, Garlic and Pine Nuts was my first sausage recipe on the blog, and one of my favorite dishes. My Italian Sausage and Bell Pepper Sandwiches are perfect for a party or game day.
When I’m not sure what to make for lunch, or when I’m uninspired with my original plan, I often default to a recipe with my Italian sausage. And one of my favorite ways to do that is with Italian Sausage Bell Pepper Pasta
I mean, how can you resist this bowl of delicious?! I love Italian Sausage Bell Pepper Pasta because it’s easy, extremely flavorful, and versatile
KEY INGREDIENTS FOR ITALIAN SAUSAGE BELL PEPPER PASTA
- Johnsonville Italian Sausage – I use the spicy, but you could definitely use mild or sweet. I remove the sausage from its casing, and break it up into small pieces before cooking. You can also buy the sausage ground, perfect when you’re cooking for a crowd. Of course, you can substitute with your favorite sausage brand
- Red Pepper Flakes – the spicy sausage has a kick, but I still add pepper flakes for more heat
- Bell Peppers – I always have red, green and yellow peppers in the house, so I use all 3. But if I’m missing one, I just use a little more of the other 2
- Greens – I usually use baby bok choy, because I like the bite and contrast in texture. Kale or baby spinach are good substitutes. If you use baby spinach, make sure to add it close to the end, just enough time for it to wilt
- Pasta – any short cut pasta will do, and I’ve used several different types interchangeably. My go-to pasta for this dish is rigatoni, because I like the larger pieces, and rigatoni has a heartier bite than other pasta cuts
- Red onion – I add onion to pretty much everything. I like the color and milder bite of red onion, but yellow is perfect too
The great thing about Italian Sausage Bell Pepper Pasta is that you may not need to add any oil at all! The sausage releases fat as it cooks, and I use that to saute to onions and peppers. If I do need to add a little oil, I use Avocado Oil. It has a wonderful flavor, and a very high smoke point.
As I mentioned, Italian Sausage Bell Pepper Pasta comes together pretty quickly, as it can be on the table in 20 minutes.
HEALTHIER SWAPS FOR ITALIAN SAUSAGE BELL PEPPER PASTA
Of course, there are ways to lighten up Italian Sausage Bell Pepper Pasta
- Use whole grain pasta, whole wheat pasta, or quinoa. Or, eliminate pasta altogether. I’ve made it with just the sausage and peppers many times, and it’s just as delicious
- Use turkey sausage or chicken sausage. If you use chicken sausage, you will need to add more oil, and you will need to add more seasonings like onion powder and garlic powder
Italian Sausage Bell Pepper Pasta is definitely one of my go-to lunch recipes.
SHOP THIS RECIPE
Italian Sausage Bell Pepper Pasta
Print RateIngredients
- 2 Johnsonville Spicy Italian Sausage
- 4 ounces rigatoni, or any short-cut pasta
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced into 1/2" pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced into 1/2" pieces
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced into 1/2" pieces
- 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced into 1/2" pieces
- 2-3 baby bok choy
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less, to taste)
- 1 teaspoon fresh-cracked black pepper
- 1/2 Tablespoon avocado oil, if needed
- 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cut ends from bok choy, and discard ends. Chop bok choy into bite-sized pieces, rinse thoroughly and drain well.
- In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook rigatoni for about 12 minutes, or until al dente.
- Remove sausage from casings, and crumble into bite-sized pieces
- Add sausage to large skillet over medium heat, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until browned. Remove and set aside. If needed, add a little oil. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook for 1 minute. Add onions, peppers and black pepper, and saute for 3 minutes. Return sausage to pan, add bok choy, and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes
- Add pasta and 2 Tablespoons reserved pasta water to skillet. Toss together, and finish cooking for 1 minute. Garnish with parsley. If desired, sprinkle with a little more red pepper flakes
- Serve immediately
Michele @ Queenbeebaker says
This is making my mouth water! We love sausage and I’ve never made it in a pasta dish. So excited to try this. Looks amazing!
Amanda Mason says
This makes for a fabulous dinner and amazing left overs!! I love the use of avocado oil in this dish…that is such a good healthy fat! Thanks for posting this! Delish!
Lorie says
This is on my last for this week so I can make my hubby extra extra happy! This is all his favorites in one dish!
Karyl says
Awww thanks Lorie! I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I do
Anne Murphy says
That sounds like such a terrific on pot meal! I love Italian sausage – partly because it tastes so good, but also because it’s so easy to cook with!
Kim @ Berly's Kitchen says
I’m in love with this pasta! My husband and son would absolutely love this, so it will be on the menu soon. It’s so colorful and full of veggies. This is the kind of dish we love to make.
Karyl says
Thanks Kim! It’s super easy, and on the table in about 20 minutes. I make it quite often without pasta as well, as a low carb dish
Sharon says
This would make for great lunches throughout the week. Tons of flavor and hearty enough to get you through the workday.
prasanna hede says
Wow this looks an amazing combination of flavors!Definitely looks so good,with pasta,sausages and peppers!
Veena Azmanov says
Italian sausage is so versatile – can have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. So many variations. Love how simple this is with just bell peppers and salsa.
Jenni says
This pasta looks amazing! I actually love leftovers, and I love repurposing them into new things, but I am totally happy cooking for every meal, too!
Whitney Bond says
I wouldn’t have thought about bok choy in this! Such a fabulous idea and not to mention absolutely beautiful mix of colors.
Jenni LeBaron says
I love all of the different textures in this dish. softness from the noodles and a little crunch from the peppers.