Spicy Sausage and Tomato Pasta Sauce with Broccoli and Leek
Spicy Sausage and Tomato Pasta Sauce with Broccoli and Leek
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage, spicy
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, medium, diced
- 4 garlic, cloves, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, medium, cored, seeded, and diced
- 1 leek, medium, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced and rinsed
- 2 cups broccoli florets, small
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, can
- 14 1/2 ounces diced tomatoes, can, undrained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
For Serving
- 12 ounces pasta, such as penne or rigatoni
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, for garnish
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Drain off any excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Remove the sausage and set aside.
⏱️ 7 min
- 2
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced yellow onion, red bell pepper, and sliced leek to the skillet. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 8 min
- 3
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to deepen its flavor.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes (with their liquid), and chicken broth. Stir in the dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it cook for at least 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 18 min
- 5
While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Add the small broccoli florets to the simmering sauce during the last 5 minutes of cooking, or until tender-crisp. Stir the cooked sausage back into the sauce.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Drain the pasta and add it directly to the sauce. Toss to combine, adding a splash or two of the reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick. Stir in most of the fresh basil.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Serve hot, garnished with additional fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Spicy Sausage and Tomato Pasta Sauce with Broccoli and Leek
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage, spicy
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, medium, diced
- 4 garlic, cloves, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, medium, cored, seeded, and diced
- 1 leek, medium, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced and rinsed
- 2 cups broccoli florets, small
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, can
- 14 1/2 ounces diced tomatoes, can, undrained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
For Serving
- 12 ounces pasta, such as penne or rigatoni
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, for garnish
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Drain off any excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Remove the sausage and set aside.
⏱️ 7 min - 2
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced yellow onion, red bell pepper, and sliced leek to the skillet. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 8 min - 3
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to deepen its flavor.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes (with their liquid), and chicken broth. Stir in the dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it cook for at least 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 18 min - 5
While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Add the small broccoli florets to the simmering sauce during the last 5 minutes of cooking, or until tender-crisp. Stir the cooked sausage back into the sauce.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Drain the pasta and add it directly to the sauce. Toss to combine, adding a splash or two of the reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick. Stir in most of the fresh basil.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Serve hot, garnished with additional fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese.