If you want a good weeknight dinner, try this Sausage Fajita Pasta! It's easy to make and sure to be appetizing for you and the whole family.
Total Time: 40 mins Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Servings: 4
RECIPE INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO
Sausage Fajita Pasta
Ingredients
1 Pound Rigatoni Pasta
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil, or neutral cooking oil of choice
1 Pound Smoked Sausage, Beef or Turkey, sliced into 1-inch pieces
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
½ Medium Red Onion, sliced
½ Red Bell Pepper, or whole pepper, sliced
½ Green Bell Pepper, or whole pepper, sliced
Pinch of Salt, for onions & bell peppers
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
3 Cups Heavy Cream
½ Cup Chicken Broth
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt, or to taste
2 Teaspoon Black Pepper, or to taste
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
½ Teaspoon Chili Powder
(Optional) ½ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, or to taste, to make more spicy
¼ Cup Pasta Water, from cooked pasta
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
Italian Parsley, minced
Instructions
1. Cook Rigatoni Pasta according to packaging. I recommend boiling 1 Pound of Pasta in 4 Quarts of Water with 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt until Al-Dente (about 8-10 minutes). Save some of the pasta water that was used to boil the pasta for later steps.
2. In a skillet on medium heat, add in sliced smoked sausage and cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side. We’re looking to brown the sausages on each side. Once sausage is done cooking, remove from the skillet and set aside.
3. For our sauce, in the same skillet that was used to cook our sausage, add in butter. Once butter is melted, add in sliced onion and cook for 1 minute. Next, add in red bell pepper & green bell pepper. Add in a pinch of salt, and cook for another minute. Then, add in minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
4. Mix in tomato paste & chicken broth, and bring to a simmer. Begin to scrape up bits at the bottom of the skillet.
5. Add in heavy cream and mix in with ingredients well. Continuously stir sauce, slightly turn up heat, and bring sauce to a high simmer. Once sauce is simmering, add in salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder and Italian seasoning and mix in well.
6. Once the sauce is at a high simmer, slightly reduce heat and add in ¼ cup of pasta water from cooked pasta. Mix in well, and simmer sauce for about 10 minutes to thicken.
7. Remove sauce from heat and let cool for about 2 minutes to continue to thicken. Next, mix in parmesan cheese. Then, toss in cooked pasta and sausage. Sprinkle on Italian parsley and additional parmesan cheese if you would like. Enjoy!