Creamy Pink Sauce Pasta with Sausage and Toasted Pine Nuts
Indulge in a deliciously rich and creamy pink sauce pasta that perfectly marries the flavors of savory pork sausage and roasted red peppers. This dish features penne pasta tossed in a sumptuous blend of tomato sauce, light cream, and fresh herbs, topped with crunchy toasted pine nuts for added texture. Ideal for a weekend gathering or a special family dinner, this recipe invites warmth and comfort into your kitchen, making it a superb choice for any pasta lover.
6
Servings
525
Calories
14
Ingredients
Ingredients
Penne pasta
1 lb (Barilla brand is recommended)
Pork sausage
1 1/3 lbs (Remove casings if needed)
Garlic cloves
3 (Chopped)
Olive oil
2 tablespoons (For sautéing)
Pine nuts
4 ounces (Toasted)
Tomato sauce
1 (29 ounce) can (Canned)
Red bell peppers
2 (Roasted and chopped)
Plum tomatoes
6 (Diced)
Dry red wine
1/4 cup (Cooking wine)
Sun-dried tomatoes
1/8 cup (Chopped (about 9 pieces))
Light cream
1 cup (For sauce)
Salt
To taste (For seasoning)
Pepper
To taste (For seasoning)
Fresh basil
1/4 cup (Chopped (fresh only))
Instructions
1
In a large deep frying/saute pan, add 1/4 cup of water along with the pork sausage.
2
Cook the sausage over medium heat until it is just cooked through, allowing the water to evaporate as the sausage cooks.
3
Once cooked, remove the sausages one at a time and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Return the pieces to the pan to brown them.
4
Once the sausage and pan are golden brown, transfer the sausage to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, keeping it warm.
5
Deglaze the pan by adding an additional 1/4 cup of water and scraping up the brown bits on the bottom. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer.
6
In a separate small saute pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the chopped garlic for about 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the garlic to the browned water in the large pan.
7
Add the browned sausage back to the pan along with red wine, tomato sauce, diced plum tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Allow the sauce to simmer gently.
8
For the roasted red peppers, preheat your oven to broil. Cut each bell pepper in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
9
Place the peppers face down on an olive oil-coated cookie sheet. Brush the skins with olive oil and broil for about 10 minutes or until the skin is charred.
10
Once grilled, remove the peppers from the oven, let them cool, peel off the charred skin, and chop them into pieces. Add these to the simmering sauce.
11
While the sauce continues to simmer, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the penne. Add the penne and cook according to package instructions.
12
Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and add them to the sauce as it simmers. Then chop the fresh basil. Kitchen shears work great for this!
13
In a small dry frying pan, toast the pine nuts over medium heat until golden brown, then set aside in a small bowl for serving.
14
When the penne has cooked for about 5 minutes, add the chopped basil and light cream to the sauce, stirring constantly for an additional 5 minutes.
15
Once the penne and sauce are cooked at the same time, drain the penne and spoon the sauce with sausage over the pasta.
16
Finish by sprinkling the toasted pine nuts on top of the dish. Serve warm with garlic bread and a fresh salad.
Nutrition Information
31g
Fat
51g
Carbs
20g
Protein
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the name of this pasta dish?
The recipe is for Creamy Pink Sauce Pasta with Sausage and Toasted Pine Nuts.
What type of pasta is recommended for this recipe?
The recipe recommends using 1 lb of Penne pasta, specifically the Barilla brand.
How many servings does this recipe yield?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What are the calories per serving?
Each serving contains approximately 525 calories.
What kind of sausage should I use?
You should use 1 1/3 lbs of pork sausage, removing the casings if necessary.
How do I start cooking the sausage?
Add the sausage to a large deep frying pan with 1/4 cup of water and cook over medium heat until cooked through.
When should I cut the sausage into bite-sized pieces?
Once the sausage is cooked through and the water has evaporated, remove them to cut into pieces before returning them to the pan to brown.
How do I deglaze the pan after browning the sausage?
Deglaze the pan by adding 1/4 cup of water and scraping up the brown bits from the bottom while reducing the heat to low.
How many garlic cloves are required?
The recipe calls for 3 chopped garlic cloves.
What type of wine is used in the sauce?
The recipe uses 1/4 cup of dry red cooking wine.
What tomatoes are included in the pink sauce?
The sauce includes one 29-ounce can of tomato sauce and 6 diced plum tomatoes.
How do I prepare the red bell peppers?
Broil the peppers face down on an olive oil-coated sheet for 10 minutes until charred, then cool, peel, and chop them.
How many sun-dried tomatoes are needed?
Use 1/8 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes, which is roughly 9 pieces.
What is the fat content per serving?
There are 31g of fat per serving.
What is the protein content per serving?
There are 20g of protein per serving.
How many carbohydrates are in each serving?
Each serving contains 51g of carbohydrates.
How do I toast the pine nuts?
Toast 4 ounces of pine nuts in a small dry frying pan over medium heat until they are golden brown.
When should I add the light cream to the sauce?
Add 1 cup of light cream to the sauce when the penne has been cooking for about 5 minutes, then stir for another 5 minutes.
Is fresh or dried basil recommended?
The recipe specifically requires 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil.
What is the best way to chop the fresh basil?
The instructions suggest that kitchen shears work great for chopping the fresh basil.
How much olive oil is used for sauteing?
You will need 2 tablespoons of olive oil for sauteing the garlic.
Should the sauce be seasoned with salt and pepper?
Yes, add salt and pepper to the sauce to taste.
What should I serve with this pasta dish?
It is recommended to serve the pasta warm with garlic bread and a fresh salad.
How do I assemble the final dish?
Drain the cooked penne, spoon the sauce and sausage over the pasta, and finish by sprinkling toasted pine nuts on top.
What are the main tags associated with this recipe?
The tags include pasta, italian, creamy sauce, sausage, pine nuts, penne, comfort food, and dinner.
How many ingredients are in this recipe in total?
There are a total of 14 ingredients listed for this recipe.
How long do I cook the garlic?
Saute the chopped garlic in olive oil for about 3 minutes until it becomes fragrant.
What is the texture of the finished dish?
The dish is rich and creamy with added crunch from the toasted pine nuts.
Does this recipe include any fiber information?
The fiber content for this recipe is not specified in the provided data.
Can I prepare the pine nuts ahead of time?
Yes, you can toast the pine nuts and set them aside in a small bowl until you are ready to serve the dish.