Italian Sausage Pasta
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Jan. 14, 2026
Many of us have favorite go-to pasta sauces. The one I’m sharing today is my all-time, best, most favorite tomato-based pasta sauce that’s a weeknight staple.
Simple, but absolutely uncompromising in flavor.
Because busy weeks leading up to major holidays are all about doable yet yummy meals.
There are those weekend dinners throughout the year that we want to serve up something with a little flair, like this scrumptious Pasta Bolognese, rich French Beef Stew, or Seafood Cioppino.
But most weeknights, our lofty supper goal is to fill those hungry peeps with food that’s nutritious, straightforward, and definitely delish. Hungry Ones reaching for seconds always makes me smile.
The virtues of simple comfort food. Ahh…
If you missed it, we just answered dinner’s call with with this easy, cheesy Baked Tortellini Casserole and wonderful Moist, Tender Meatloaf. And I have to bring back this awesomely easy Mexican Chicken Stew, because it’s one of our staples in the fall/winter months.
But now, it’s time to talk pasta sauce.
Blissful red pasta sauce that is hearty, chock-full of veggies, browned sausage, and herbs.
This Sausage and Vegetable Pasta Sauce is beautifully versatile like only a great sauce can be – pour it over any shape or size pasta you desire. Looking for another way to enjoy sausage and pasta? Try this baked sausage penne!
Dip your artisan rosemary bread into it. The results are all the same – scrumptious.
Naturally, you can make it meatless simply by leaving out the sausage and keeping all the glorious veggies.
Enjoy 🙂
Italian Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground Italian sausage
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 48 ounces tomato-based pasta sauce, such as marinara
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 pound pasta of your choice
- Optional Garnishes: Parmesan cheese, freshly chopped basil or oregano
Instructions
- In a heavy large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Brown ground sausage, stirring and breaking up the meat until cooked through. Transfer to separate bowl and set aside.
- In the same large pot, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add garlic and onion, and saute until translucent.
- Add in tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Continue to cook another minute. Add browned sausage back to the pot, and stir to combine.
- Add tomato pasta sauce, sugar, oregano, and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta just until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and toss with warm pasta sauce. Garnish with parmesan and freshly chopped basil.
Notes
- You can use chopped bell peppers instead of tomatoes, or a mixture of both.
- If you’d like to thin out the sauce a bit, add a splash of chicken broth or vegetable broth as needed.
- Pasta sauce keeps well in airtight container in fridge for several days. Sauce alone may also be frozen if sealed airtight.