This Spicy Penne Arrabiata is filled with sausage, peppers and onions in a spicy tomato sauce – it comes together in 30 minutes in one pot too!
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How to make this recipe
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Add turkey sausage to a large pot with olive oil and sear for about 2-3 minutes per side.
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When cool, remove sausage from the pot and slice into bite-sized pieces. Add onion and garlic to pot and sauté until onion is translucent.
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Add sausage back into pan, season with salt, pepper and red chili flakes and sauté. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil.
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Add penne stirring occasionally until pasta is fork tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir in red pepper, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
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Serve hot with grated parmesan and fresh basil overtop!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – Use any neutral oil like peanut oil, sunflower oil or vegetable oil in place of the olive oil.
- Turkey sausage links – I'm using turkey sausage in this recipe as a healthier option but you can use pork sausage, veggie sausage or beef sausage.
- Yellow onion – White onion, shallots, red onions are all great alternatives to yellow onion.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic minced or jarred minced garlic will work fine.
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Red chili flakes – The chili flakes are what's going to make the sauce an Arrabiata sauce, so if you don't have any flakes on hand use any other dried chili peppers to add that spice. Based on your spice tolerance you can use as little or as much of this ingredient as you'd like.
- Diced tomatoes – Fresh or canned tomatoes will work fine. If you can't find diced tomatoes canned, then chopped tomatoes canned will work well.
- Tomato sauce – Combine tomato paste with water to create a tomato sauce if you don't have any on hand.
- Water
- Penne pasta – Arrabiata sauce pairs the best with penne rigate pasta. If you don't have penne or aren't able to find any you can substitute it with rigatoni, fusilli, or mostaccioli pasta.
- Red bell pepper – Red bell peppers are more sweeter than the other bell peppers, and they pair beautifully with this red dish but if you don't have any on hand, feel free to remove it altogether or substitute it with green, yellow or orange bell pepper.
- Fresh basil (optional garnish)
- Parmesan cheese (optional garnish)
Storing and reheating
To store your Spicy Penne Arrabiata, wait until your pasta has cooled down. Once your pasta has cooled down, place each serving into its own container and keep them in the fridge for up to five days. This makes this dish an absolute meal prep dream! When you're ready to enjoy your pasta take your individual serving and pop it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Once it's been warmed to your liking, serve and enjoy!
What does Arrabiata mean?
Arrabiata directly translated from Italian means “angry”. This may sound funny to some but considering the spice level and the bright colour red, it makes sense! The name Arrabiata is inspired by the chilies that heat up the spicy tomato sauce and is a delicious treat when you're craving a really flavourful pasta.
Can you freeze Penne Arrabiata?
As is the case with most pasta sauces, this spicy sauce freezes well – oh and you can freeze the pasta, too!
If you want to freeze this penne Arrabiata, just be sure that it's completely cool before you place it into containers for freezing. Glass meal prep containers are perfect to use for freezing this pasta dish.
When you're ready to reheat, pull a serving out of the freezer, sprinkle a little bit of water overtop and microwave for 7-8 minutes, stirring halfway through. The best part is that this dish reheats so well!
One Pot Spicy Turkey Sausage Arrabiata
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 turkey sausage links
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- 1 (796mL) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (680mL) jar tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 lb dried penne pasta
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- chopped fresh basil, for garnish
- Fresh grated parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil on med-high heat. Add turkey sausage, searing for about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Using tongs, remove sausage and when cool, slice into bite-sized pieces. Meanwhile, add onion and garlic to pot and sauté for about a minute.
- Add sausage pieces back into pan, add salt, pepper and red chili flakes and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil.
- Add penne, then cover with lid and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 8-10 minutes until pasta is fork tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir in red pepper, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Serve hot with grated parmesan and fresh basil overtop!
Video
Nutrition
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Anshula says
I just have to try this! It looks so good!
Taylor Stinson says
Thank you 🙂
Krystal says
That looks so good! You’re making me hungry!
Taylor Stinson says
hehe thanks Krystal, that’s the goal!
val says
Looks delicious! HUGE fan of one pot meals 🙂 Pinning this one!
Taylor Stinson says
Thank you Val!! It makes for great freezer food 😉
Julia says
This sounds really yummy and not too hard to make. A good idea for the weekend. Thank you!
Taylor Stinson says
Thanks Julia! Let me know how you like it if you try it 🙂
Marcia Greenberg says
How many ounces is the jarred passata please? Thanks
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Marcia – so sorry it’s a 680mL (22oz) jar!
Jess says
I never cook, but wanted to have a special wedding anniversary dinner ready for my husband tonight and this came out AMAZING! thank you so much!!
Taylor Stinson says
Aww I am SO happy to hear that Jess!!! This pasta is one of my faves 🙂 So glad you enjoyed!!!
chicwish says
Is it possible to modify this recipe for vegetarians?
Taylor Stinson says
Yes, you can just leave the sausage out 🙂
Devon B. says
When you say tomato sauce, do you mean a pre-made pasta sauce or a plain tomato puree?
Taylor Stinson says
You can use either!
Sean says
Thanks for pointing out that I need to drain the water after cooking the pasta, I was going to add all the other ingredients and eat it like soup.
And the information about putting it in the freezer was quite a revelation. I might even put other things in the freezer one day, but not before a lot of careful research.
Taylor Stinson says
Thank you for your rude comment on my blog. I’m glad you obviously had the time on your hands to write it 🙂