5) Finally, cook pasta al dente right before serving and mix hot drained pasta with the spaghetti sauce.
Variations, substitutions, and recipe tips
Pasta. I used spaghetti but this sausage pasta will also work really well with fettuccine, linguine, angel hair pasta, or pappardelle pasta.
Sausage. I used spicy crumbled Italian sausage. You can also use mild or sweet Italian sausage, or Italian sausage links (casings removed and the sausage crumbled). This is also a good recipe for chicken sausage.
Drain the fat once you cook the sausage to get rid of excess grease and unnecessary calories.
Can you make it meatless? Yes, you can! Use plant-based sausage such as Beyond sausage brand.
Make it gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta made with brown rice, chickpeas, lentils, etc.
Use other greens. Swiss chard, arugula, or kale will work great in this recipe.
What is a good substitute for canned tomato sauce? You can use canned diced tomatoes or canned crushed tomatoes instead.
Use red wine. Add a splash of dry red wine (about ¼ cup) to the tomato marinara sauce, if you like. It will add richness and depth of flavor to the sauce.
Try unique pasta. This is the ideal recipe for trying out all sorts of artisanal pasta that we often see in stores these days. Make this recipe with green spinach pasta, artichoke pasta, truffle-flavored linguine, etc. You get the idea! Use all those colorful unusual kinds of pasta in this recipe!
How to garnish spaghetti
Garnish Italian sausage spaghetti with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper. Other great toppings are red pepper flakes, chopped chives, chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil, thyme, cilantro), chopped green onions, or toasted pine nuts.
What to serve with this pasta?
Bread. Sausage pasta pairs well with baguette, garlic bread, olive bread, or sourdough bread. Breadsticks are a great idea, too.
Salad. Any type of simple fresh salad will make an excellent pairing. Throw some greens (spinach or arugula) together with olive oil or balsamic vinegar-based salad dressing for a simple salad. Top with toasted nuts and Parmesan cheese.
My salad recommendations. Serve this pasta with a simple spinach salad with pine nuts and Parmesan or cranberry spinach salad with cashews and goat cheese. Or, pair the pasta with the colorful and easy-to-make arugula salad with apples, cranberries, and pecans.
Storage and reheating tips
Because Italian sausage spaghetti is made without any cream or cheese, this recipe is incredibly easy to store and reheat!
Fridge. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The longer you keep it, the softer the pasta will get.
Make-ahead tip. If making this ahead, make the spaghetti sauce up to 3 days in advance. Cook the pasta only when you’re ready to serve.
Freezer. The same as above applies if you want to freeze this dish. Don’t freeze the pasta mixed with the sauce. Make the spaghetti sauce (without the pasta) and freeze it for up to 2 months.
Reheat in the microwave oven. Reheat the refrigerated pasta (or spaghetti sauce without pasta) in a microwave oven for about 1 minute. Taste and reheat for 30 seconds more, if needed.
Reheat on the stovetop. Reheat the leftovers in a large, high-sided skillet on the stovetop on low-medium heat.
ADVERTISEMENT
