Recipes › Pasta › Easy Italian Sausage Spaghetti Recipe

Easy Italian Sausage Spaghetti Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This easy Italian sausage spaghetti is a rustic Roman-style pasta that combines browned Italian sausage with a simple tomato sauce and fresh herbs. The dish comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for weeknight dinners while delivering authentic Italian flavors. Tossed with al dente spaghetti and finished with Pecorino Romano cheese, it's comfort food at its most straightforward.

Ingredients

• 400g (14 oz) dried spaghetti
• 500g (1.1 lb) Italian pork sausage, casings removed
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 400g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
• 120ml (½ cup) dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh basil leaves for garnish
• 50g (⅓ cup) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the spaghetti. Cook according to package directions until al dente, then drain and reserve 120ml (½ cup) of pasta water.

2. While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crumbled sausage and cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink.

3. Reduce heat to medium, add the diced onion to the sausage, and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent.

4. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.

5. Pour in the white wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to deglaze, cooking for 2 minutes until the liquid reduces by half.

6. Add the crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well and simmer for 8-10 minutes over medium heat, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly.

7. Toss the cooked spaghetti with the sausage sauce, adding pasta water a little at a time until the sauce coats the noodles evenly and reaches your desired consistency.

8. Divide the spaghetti among serving bowls and top with grated Pecorino Romano cheese, fresh basil, and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Substitutions

• Use ground beef or ground turkey in place of Italian sausage for a milder flavor or leaner meat option
• Replace white wine with chicken or vegetable broth if alcohol is not desired
• Substitute Pecorino Romano with Parmigiano-Reggiano for a slightly milder, buttery cheese finish
• Use fresh crushed tomatoes or tomato passata instead of canned crushed tomatoes for a smoother sauce

Tips

• Do not overcook the spaghetti; reserve pasta water before draining to help adjust sauce consistency and allow the starch to help the sauce cling to the noodles
• Brown the sausage thoroughly before adding other ingredients to develop deep, savory flavor from the rendered fat and caramelized meat
• Taste the sauce before serving and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper; the cheese added at the end will also add saltiness

This style of spaghetti with sausage reflects the hearty, meat-forward cooking traditions of central and southern Italy, where pork sausage has long been a staple protein. The simplicity of the dish—built on quality ingredients rather than complicated techniques—is characteristic of authentic Italian home cooking, or cucina casalinga.

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