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Fusili Pasta with Sausage, Peppers, Onions and Mushrooms Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Fusili Pasta with Sausage, Peppers, Onions and Mushrooms Recipe

I made this pasta on a weeknight when I had about thirty minutes to spare and a fridge full of odds and ends. I tossed fusilli with sliced sausage, sweet peppers, onions and mushrooms in a quick marinara, and the whole kitchen smelled like an Italian trattoria within minutes. It turned into one of those meals I keep coming back to because it never feels like a chore to make
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Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 ounces short pasta such as fusilli or penne — fusilli's spirals catch the sauce better than smooth shapes so I reach for it first
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil — a light amount is enough since the sausage releases some fat of its own as it cooks
  • 2 medium onions peeled and thinly sliced into half moons — slicing them thin helps them soften quickly instead of staying crunchy
  • 2 red peppers thinly sliced — red peppers bring natural sweetness; yellow or orange work just as well if that's what I have on hand
  • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms — fresh mushrooms hold their texture far better than canned so I never swap those in
  • 2 cloves garlic minced — fresh garlic gives a rounder flavor than the jarred kind, and it only takes a minute to mince
  • 12 ounces fully cooked Italian chicken sausage sliced into half-inch rounds — using precooked sausage means I only need to warm it through, which saves real time
  • 1 jar 25 ounces marinara sauce — a good jarred sauce is one of my favorite shortcuts on a busy night
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine — this deglazes the pan and lifts all the flavor stuck to the bottom though I sometimes swap in broth
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • grated Parmesan optional, for serving — I always grate it fresh since pre-shredded cheese doesn't melt into the sauce the same way

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fusilli according to the package directions. Once it reaches a good bite, drain it in a colander and set it aside. I like to start this step first since pasta water takes the longest to come to a boil.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften. This usually takes about three to four minutes and fills the kitchen with a really good smell.
  3. Stir in the sliced mushrooms and minced garlic, along with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring now and then, until everything softens further. This step takes about five to six more minutes and builds the base flavor of the dish.
  4. Add the sliced sausage, marinara sauce and white wine to the skillet. Let it cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is hot, bubbly and starting to thicken. This step takes roughly ten minutes and is where the whole dish really comes together.
  5. Add the drained pasta directly into the skillet and toss everything until it's well coated in sauce. Serve it right away with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan if that sounds good to me.

Notes

  • I always slice my onions and peppers the same thickness so they cook evenly in the same amount of time
  • I like to save a splash of pasta water before draining, just in case the sauce needs loosening later
  • I never skip searing the sausage a little longer if I want deeper caramelized flavor
  • I taste the sauce before adding the pasta so I can adjust the salt and pepper while I still can
  • I keep the heat at medium-high rather than high so the vegetables soften instead of scorching