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Prepare your ingredients: Dice the onion, mince the garlic, chop the fresh basil, and remove the casings from the Italian sausage.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the spicy Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Brown the sausage thoroughly for 6 to 8 minutes, then remove it from the skillet with a slotted spoon, leaving behind any rendered fat. Set the sausage aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced yellow onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for another 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth (or pasta water). Stir in the granulated sugar (if using), 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the bucatini pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.

Add the cooked Italian sausage back into the simmering arrabbiata sauce. Stir in the chopped fresh basil. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Add the drained bucatini directly to the skillet with the sauce. Toss gently to coat the pasta evenly. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.

Serve immediately, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and extra fresh basil, if desired.


Prepare your ingredients: Dice the onion, mince the garlic, chop the fresh basil, and remove the casings from the Italian sausage.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the spicy Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Brown the sausage thoroughly for 6 to 8 minutes, then remove it from the skillet with a slotted spoon, leaving behind any rendered fat. Set the sausage aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced yellow onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for another 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth (or pasta water). Stir in the granulated sugar (if using), 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the bucatini pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.

Add the cooked Italian sausage back into the simmering arrabbiata sauce. Stir in the chopped fresh basil. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Add the drained bucatini directly to the skillet with the sauce. Toss gently to coat the pasta evenly. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.

Serve immediately, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and extra fresh basil, if desired.
