Wood-Fired Italian Sausage and Roasted Pepper Pasta

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-18 · Updated 2026-05-18

A rustic pasta dish featuring spicy Italian sausage and sweet roasted red peppers tossed in a smoky tomato sauce with rigatoni. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs rigatoni pasta, Italian sausage links, red bell peppers for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 620 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 12 oz rigatoni pasta
• 1 lb Italian sausage links
• 3 medium red bell peppers
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

The sheet pan we’d roast this on → Best Sheet Pans in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 450°F. Cut 3 medium red bell peppers in half, remove seeds, and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes until skins are charred and blistered. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. After 15 minutes, peel off skins and slice into strips.
2. Step 2: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 12 oz rigatoni pasta and cook for 11 minutes until al dente. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup cooking water.
3. Step 3: While pasta cooks, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove casings from 1 lb Italian sausage links and crumble into skillet. Cook for 7-8 minutes, breaking up meat, until browned and cooked through.
4. Step 4: Add 1 medium diced yellow onion and 4 minced garlic cloves to the sausage. Sauté for 4 minutes until onions soften and garlic is fragrant.
5. Step 5: Stir in 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Simmer sauce for 10 minutes until thickened.
6. Step 6: Stir roasted red pepper strips and 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil into the sauce. Add cooked rigatoni and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, tossing to coat pasta evenly in sauce.
7. Step 7: Off heat, drizzle remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese over pasta. Toss gently and serve immediately.