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quick 5 ingredient dinners

Sausage and Pepper Pasta

Sausage, peppers, pasta, garlic, and parmesan have been on repeat in my house for years. This quick 5 ingredient dinner uses the fat from the sausage as the sauce base — no extra oil or butter needed.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g pasta penne or rigatoni
  • 500 g Italian sausage
  • casings removed
  • 2 bell peppers sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup parmesan grated
  • Half cup pasta water reserved
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Step 1: Cook pasta in heavily salted water reserve half cup water before draining
  2. Step 2: Heat large pan over medium high heat add sausage breaking apart
  3. Step 3: Cook 6 to 7 minutes until browned
  4. Step 4: Add bell peppers cook 4 minutes until softened
  5. Step 5: Add garlic cook 1 minute
  6. Step 6: Add drained pasta and pasta water toss everything together
  7. Step 7: Add parmesan toss until sauce coats everything
  8. Step 8: Season with salt and pepper serve immediately with extra parmesan

Notes

— Sausage fat is your sauce —
don't drain it away
— Buy sausage in casings and
remove yourself — usually
better quality than pre ground
— Pasta water helps everything
come together silkily
— Add red pepper flakes for heat