Sausage, Peppers and Onions Marinara Pasta

Sausage, Peppers and Onions Marinara Pasta is a hearty tomato sauce, full of sliced veggies like fennel, onion, bell pepper and big slices of Italian sausage links. This is a seriously bold and chunky tomato sauce, the perfect variation to pasta night!

• Pasta Night is always a favorite in our house! - It's the night of the week I know the kids will eat!  While we love our staple sauces, Mom's Homemade Spaghetti and Italian Sausage Bolognese, this Sausage, Peppers and Onions Marinara Pasta is a fun variation, totally new yet still familiar. 

• We're always trying to eat more vegetables, and this sauce is not short on them!  Adding a few new ones to a hearty marinara sauce makes for well, something new!  Fennel is not a regular vegetable is most people's shopping carts.  But, that goofy looking stalky bulb adds great depth of flavor, definitely give it a try!

• Easy to Prep, One Pot Comfort Food - As the weather turns colder, a big pot of sauce on the stove is so comforting.  This Italian sausage and peppers in marinara sauce needs to simmer about an hour, but it can easily be put together anytime in the late afternoon and sit on low until dinner time. 

• It's extra nutritious with all those veggies, but I like to serve it with an Italian Mixed Greens Salad with Crispy Prosciutto and some crusty bread!

Ingredients

• Italian Sausage Links - Large slices of sausage links really go well with the big slices of veggies in this extra chunky tomato sauce.

• Olive Oil - While the sausage links are boiled first, sauteing them in olive oil with the veggies allows them to caramelize. That golden brown color adds big flavor to the sauce.

• Onion - A yellow, white or even a red onion will work, sliced in half moons. You can use a small onion or half of a large one.

• Bell Pepper - I've used a yellowish green pepper in this recipe, but really any color bell pepper is fine to use. Red, yellow, or orange will all work, or a handful of sliced mini sweet peppers.

• Fennel - Not always a familiar vegetable! Fennel makes a great addition to this sausage and peppers pasta because of its unique flavor. Its sharp licorice taste mellows as it cooks, but marries perfectly with the rich flavor of the sausage. It's delicious!

• Salt and Pepper - Sausage is heavily seasoned, so not much salt is needed to season your veggies.

• Garlic - A classic flavor in a hearty marinara sauce, use 3 big cloves of fresh garlic!

• Italian Seasoning - Turning up the Italian flavor, you can also substitute fresh herbs if you have them such as parsley, oregano, thyme or basil. I like to Freeze Mixed Fresh Herbs and Greens from my garden and add about ⅓ cup to this sauce.

• Brown Sugar - A bit of sugar balances the acid in the tomatoes, and combines for great flavor with the sweet Italian Sausage and bell peppers.

• Canned Tomato - I like to use 1 can of crushed tomato and 1 can of whole peeled tomato, chopped on a cutting board to leave it a bit chunky. You can really use any combination of canned tomato, and you can add a third can if you want to stretch the recipe.

• Penne, Rigatoni, Ziti or any Hearty Short Pasta - Choose a hearty pasta shape that will hold up to your hearty marinara sauce.

• Parmesan Cheese for serving

Instructions

Step 1 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, simmer the sausage links in enough water just to cover them until cooked through. This will ensure they are cooked through before being caramelized.

Meanwhile, you can slice your veggies (see how to slice fennel below).

Remove the sausages to a plate with tongs, drain the water, and slice the sausage into large chunks.

Step 2 - In the same pot, saute the onion, peppers and fennel in a bit of olive oil on one side of the pot and the sliced sausage links on the other side.

Stir them occasionally, but not too much. Allow them to be in contact with the pot for awhile so they get a nice caramel brown color.

Season the veggies with salt and pepper.

Step 3 - Add the garlic, brown sugar and herbs and give it a good stir.

Add the canned tomato and stir to combine. Simmer on low heat for about an hour.

Step 4 - When ready to eat, cook the pasta and serve with the sauce and Parmesan cheese.

How to Slice Fennel

Wash the fennel well and slice off the green stalks but don't discard.  I've often seen them discarded, but they are completely edible.  Slice the bottom end off the white bulb, the dirty spot where the roots have been cut off. 

Next, quarter the fennel bulb, making 2 perpendicular cuts from the top straight through to the root part.  From there you can see the small core near the base in all 4 of your wedges, cut it out and discard. 

Now take your 4 quarters and slice them stalk end to root end.  You can also slice up most or all of those green stalky tops and use them too. 

The fennel fronds can be chopped along with it, used as a garnish, or discarded.  Slice your peppers and onions to be similar in size, like half moons.

Recipe Notes & Tips

• I prefer the big slices of veggies in this sauce.  Paired with the large chunks of Italian sausage, it's just so hearty and rustic!  However, it does leave a lot for the kids to pick out!  All those sliced veggies can be chopped smaller so they blend in.  They could even be pulsed in a food processor to "hide" them. 

• The canned tomatoes can also be left as chunky or smooth as you like.  You can use whole peeled or crushed tomato or anything in between. They can also be chopped or pulsed in a food processor. 

• Italian Sausage links could also be substituted with bulk ground Italian Sausage.  Just brown it in the pot about halfway before adding the veggies.  This dish could also be left completely vegetarian. If you like sauce with hidden veggies, check out my Italian Sausage Bolognese!

• To Store - Store sauce in the fridge for up to 5 days.  Eat leftovers within 2 or 3 days if it is combined with the pasta.  Microwave or reheat on the stovetop. 

• To Freeze - Sauce can be frozen for up to 6 months, cool completely in the fridge first.  Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

• Frozen sauce is great for another pasta night, or can be used as a sauce for Homemade Pizza or quick flatbread pizzas for lunch! The large chunks of sausage can get pulled out, sliced up and added as a pizza topping!

What to Serve it With

Pasta night always goes great with a big green salad and some crusty garlic bread.

• This Italian Mixed Greens Salad with Crispy Prosciutto is excellent with this dish but we also like this Prosciutto and Parmesan Salad with Basil Vinaigrette!

• In the summer I like to add a non-lettuce salad like this Panzanella Bread Salad or this Melon Prosciutto Salad with Arugula. A Green Bean Salad with Tomato and Feta is also delicious!

If you made this recipe, I'd love to hear how you liked it!  Be sure to leave a star rating by clicking the stars in the recipe card, or leave a comment below!

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