A Great Weeknight Pasta Dish We Call “Sausage Sauce”
Penne pasta with tomato sausage sauce is pure comfort in a bowl. It’s rich, hearty, and packed with flavor. The best part?
You can make it with your own homemade tomato sauce or grab your favorite jar from the pantry. Either way, this recipe delivers a satisfying meal that comes together quickly.
Brown the sausage until it’s golden and crisp. Sauté garlic and onion until soft and fragrant. Add the tomato sauce and let it simmer while the penne cooks. The sauce thickens and the flavors deepen. Toss it all together and top with fresh basil or grated Parmesan.
This dish is perfect for weeknights when you need something fast but crave something special. The sausage adds bold flavor, while the tomato sauce gives the pasta a silky, tangy coating. It clings to every bite of penne.
Make it spicy with hot Italian sausage. Keep it mild for the whole family. Either way, it’s a hit. Serve with a green salad or garlic bread for a full meal.
This easy pasta recipe is simple to prep and easy to love. Keep it in your dinner rotation—it never gets old.
Penne with Tomato Sausage Sauce
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 1 pound Italian sausage mild or spicy, casing removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup fresh parsley or basil chopped, for garnish
- grated fresh Parmesan for serving
For the Tomato Sauce (or use 3 cups of your favorite jarred tomato sauce)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon sugar optional, to balance acidity
- ½ teaspoon salt
- freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add sausage. Break it up with a spoon and cook until browned and cooked through, 7–10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- In the same pan, add onion and cook until soft, 3–4 minutes. Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), oregano, and basil. Cook 1 more minute.
Make the sauce
- From scratch: Add crushed tomatoes, sugar (if needed), salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Jarred option: Add 3 cups of your favorite tomato sauce and warm through for 5–7 minutes.
- Combine: Return sausage to the pan. Add cooked penne and a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Toss to coat evenly.
Serve
- Top with fresh parsley or basil and grated Parmesan.
My Shortcut Sausage Sauce
If you’re in a hurry, use your favorite jarred tomato sauce to save time. Just heat it with the browned sausage and sautéed aromatics.
It still delivers bold flavor with less effort. Choose a high-quality sauce with simple ingredients for the best results. There’s nothing wrong with taking a shortcut—no guilt, just good food fast.
Tips to Add More Flavor and Spice
| Tip | Description | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Use hot Italian sausage | Replace mild sausage with spicy for added heat. | Adds bold, complex flavor and a satisfying kick. |
| Add red pepper flakes | Start with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon while sautéing garlic. | Builds subtle heat and balances the sweetness of tomatoes. |
| Finish with cream or butter | Stir in a splash of cream or a pat of butter at the end. | Creates a richer, silkier sauce with depth. |
| Deglaze with wine | Add a splash of red or white wine after browning the sausage. | Lifts flavorful bits from the pan and enhances the sauce. |
| Simmer the sauce longer | Let the sauce cook for 20–30 minutes if time allows. | Concentrates flavors and blends ingredients beautifully. |
| Add fresh herbs at the end | Use chopped basil or parsley just before serving. | Brightens the dish and adds freshness. |
25 Responses
I’m not big on heavy sauces, so instead I use a can of stewed tomatoes (italian style)–which, to me, has a more “fresh” tomato flavor. First, I toss the pasta with good olive oil and a crushed clove of garlic. I cut up the tomatoes a bit & toss in the entire contents of the can… then serve it topped w/freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Also Trader Joes has a sundried tomato pesto that I use sometimes–I prep the pasta the same way (olive oil & crushed garlic), then toss in the pesto. TJ’s has fully cooked frozen meatballs that I microwave, halve, then add to the pasta.
I’m all about quick and easy. 🙂
del monte mexian recibe tomatoes
I have tried many commercial tomato (pasta) sauces but all have fallen short (way short) of my own spicy homemade sauce. However, this past year I discovered Scalafani’s Fra Diavolo sauce (medium hot). This sauce is fantastic. Not that too sweet taste, not bitter, not even commercial tasting. It is wonderfully spicy and flavorful yet simple. I love to keep a jar of it on hand for the times when I am running short on time but just gotta have some spicy sauce to toss in my pasta. Yum!
We really enjoy the Classico Sweet Basil sauce. I’ll have to give the Four Cheeses a try! Thanks
Francesco Rinaldi Traditional
But I make my own often with fresh tomatoes. I roast them with garlic and parsley when the are plentiful’
I’m also a huge Classico fan – I wasn’t aware there was such a cult out there! It’s priced pretty decently and generally tastes pretty phenomenal — and I am *very* picky about my pasta sauce. I also love the Sweet Basil, as well as the Spicy Red Pepper. I recently had my jaw wired shut for 5.5 weeks, and had many a meal made from Classico sauce – on its own, or mixed with plain yogurt for a pink sauce effect that also alleviated the negative effects of antibiotics, or with olive oil to keep my weight up, or both. I’m having a similar jaw surgery in a few weeks, and I suspect that Classico and I will become quite good friends again during the aftermath. 🙂 The only flaw is that it’s not available in an organic variety.
I make tons of my own sauce, put it in food saver bags, freeze them flat in slabs, then seal.
This way I can pull out a slab-o-sauce and have it for most of the year(I do the same with soups and chili) I make several kinds with different meats and herbs, so they aren’t always the same.
If I do run out I like Prego. It’s OK.
Barilla Puttanesca is a fave, but I don’ t have young children to consider.
Newman’s Own Marinara is good moderate tasting that can be a good base for any doctoring you’re in the mood for. Also like Muir Glen Herb Sauce. And I make quick sauces with their Fire Roasted diced tomatoes with caramelized onions, garlic and caramelizing a tablespoon or two of tomato paste.
I like Pomi Marinara sauce in a carton. It is the only one we have found that has a fresh tomato taste without any of the preservative flavors we have found with jarred sauces. One drawn back, it can be hard to find – but it is worth it!
If I have to use canned/jarred sauce, I use Hunts or Delmonte, and then add 1 can of Italian Tomatoes, chopped along with 1 can tomato paste, 1 tsp Italian Seasoning, 1 lg. onion, and either some hamburger or some sweet or hot sausage links… It’s quick and easy and always delicious!
When I don’t feel like it or don’t have the time I love Hunt’s Traditional. To make it more “mine” I add lots of red wine (Chianti or Burgundy – I just make sure it’s a full red) and tomato paste, dried basil and dried oregano. If I need to adjust any other things I do that too but salt is not usually one of them. I much prefer ground pork to ground beef – it just seems more flavorful to me.
Love Newman’s Own but again, as most above my own special twist. I add fresh sauteed mushrooms and fresh oregano and fresh chives. Adds color.
I make a sauce similar to this when I’m in a hurry too. I like Barilla Mushroom & Garlic and their Puttanesca. For a quick light sauce I like Del Monte DicedTomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano tossed with the hot pasta..it makes a nice, quick summer pasta dish.
I have been a Prego fan since its inception in the 1980’s. Prego now has an organic version, which I love, and it doesn’t contain corn syrup. I don’t buy anything that contains corn syrup. I never have liked Ragu, which was one of the top pasta sauces for years until Prego and others came along. I also buy any pasta sauce that only has natural ingredients, organic or not. I love Rosemarino Pasta Sauce in “Hearty Meat” flavor and use it as dip for sesame sticks made from spelt flour. You are right that the commercial sauce market is huge. I buy a new one every so often at a gourmet store out of curiosity, but keep going back to Organic Prego. It’s cheaper and available at most grocery stores. I suddenly have the urge to have pasta and sauce for lunch!
I prefer barilla also, we either get Marinara or Spicy Pepper. We don’t see it in our store too much so we always have to stock up.
I rather my own tomato sauce. I use Cento tomato paste and either sauce or chef’s cut tomatoes. This is by far the best tomato sauce I’ve ever found.
When i am in a hurry Barilla Marinara works great for me, not as good as my own w/crushed tomatoes, and garlic, onion, celery&carrots,sauteed’ salt and pepper to taste…mmm, mmm, good.
For many years I have only used Catelli 6 Vegetable pasta sauce. I’m not sure if it is available in the States. It has a very low-acid fresh taste and comes in many varieties. I like them all.
I start out with the Classico Basil & Tomato sauce (2 jars) 1 lb. Ground Beef, 1 lb. Ground Italian Sausage, 2 cans mushrooms and my own secret blend of spices (McCormick Greek Seasoning… a mixture of Garlic, Sea Salt, Oregano and Spearmint that will keep people guessing). Brown the meat, add the sauce and extras, a little wine and simmer. I toss it over ravioli, it’s dinner and leftovers for work the next day plus a leftover jar of doctored sauce back into the fridge!
The absolute best jarred sauces are:
(1) Rao’s Marinara – a bit expensive but worth it; and
(2) Cento Imported Marinara – reasonably priced and made from San Marzano tomatoes.
I always add about a teaspoon of chopped fresh mint. It’s common in Sicily but not elsewhere in Italy.
American made sauces are tinny,bitter and watery and require substantial fine tuning. Why bother.
Always buy imported San Marzano tomatoes when possible, even canned.
Barilla is number one in our house. But after reading some of these recommendations on other brands, I’ll definitely venture out.
I doctor my own pasta sauces with jarred……somehow or other that is the way hubby likes it. Anyway, nearly always use Classico and buy several when on sale (usually at Wal Mart). Also add red wine…….to taste and that also gives it more of a homemade from scratch taste. Have lots of basil growing and oregano so that is a real boom.
I love each and every one of these sauce ideas. It took me awhile but I am getting better inventing new ways to put together a decent tomato sauce! Thank you, Reluctant Gourmet!
You are very welcome Beth. Thanks for letting me know.