Quick Sausage and Tomato Sauce with Fresh Basil | CookOS

Quick Sausage and Tomato Sauce

Name: Quick Sausage and Tomato Sauce with Fresh Basil
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 1/4 cup olive oil; 6 cloves garlic; 5 cheese and parsley pork sausage links; 3 hot Italian sausage links; 2 (28 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes; 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste; 1 piece Pecorino Romano cheese rind; 1 lb penne rigate pasta

A quick Italian-American tomato sauce combining sweet and hot sausage with crushed whole tomatoes, fresh basil, and a Pecorino Romano rind for deeper flavor. This family-style sauce is ready in under an hour and built on simple whole ingredients rather than tomato paste or cream.

🌍Italian-American 🏷️Sausage pasta 🏷️Tomato sauce 🏷️Italian sausage 🏷️Penne Comfort food

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Total

50 min

Servings

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$20–$33

Recipe Source

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Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic
5 cheese and parsley pork sausage links
3 hot Italian sausage links
2 (28 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 piece Pecorino Romano cheese rind
1 lb penne rigate pasta

10 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the whole garlic cloves and cook until fragrant and lightly golden.
2
Remove the garlic cloves from the pot and set aside on a plate.
3
Add the cheese & parsley sausage and hot sausage links to the pot. Brown on all sides, cooking until about three-quarters of the way through.
4
While the sausage cooks, pour the whole tomatoes into a large bowl and crush them by hand to your desired consistency.
5
Once browned, remove the sausages from the pot and set aside.
6
Mash the reserved cooked garlic cloves with a fork or spatula.
7
Add the mashed garlic back into the pot with the sausage drippings and stir.
8
Carefully pour the crushed tomatoes into the pot.
9
Stir in the fresh chopped basil.
10
Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
11
Return the browned sausages to the pot and add the Pecorino Romano cheese rind.
12
Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for 25-30 minutes.
13
While the sauce simmers, cook the penne rigate pasta in a separate pot of boiling salted water according to package directions.
14
Drain the pasta and serve topped with the sausage and tomato sauce. Garnish with more fresh basil if desired.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Crush garlic cloves lightly with the side of a knife before adding to release oils; don't mince them, as whole cloves infuse more gently and stay tender.
Brown the sausage fully before adding tomatoes—this develops fond on the pan bottom, which adds savory depth when you deglaze.
Stir in fresh basil in the final 2–3 minutes of cooking to preserve its bright, herbaceous flavor; cooking it too long dulls the taste.
Taste and adjust salt carefully; the Pecorino rind and sausage already contribute salt, so add gradually to avoid over-seasoning.

Substitutions

Whole peeled tomatoes → crushed tomatoes (use same volume; sauce will be smoother, less rustic)
Pecorino Romano rind → 1 oz grated Pecorino (stir in at the end; flavor is more immediate but less sustained)
Fresh basil → 1 tsp dried basil (add with garlic; use half the amount, as dried is more concentrated)
Penne rigate → any short or long pasta (rigate's ridges trap sauce, but shape preference is personal)

Storage & make-ahead

Cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if too thick.

Common Questions

Can I use just one type of sausage instead of both sweet and hot?

Yes. Use 8 links of your preferred type, but you'll lose the balanced heat and sweetness. Mixing varieties adds complexity to the sauce.

What does the Pecorino Romano rind do?

It slowly releases umami and salt into the sauce as it simmers, deepening the flavor. Remove it before serving or eating around it.

How long should the sauce simmer?

At least 20–30 minutes after adding the tomatoes allows flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly. Longer (45 minutes) intensifies the taste.

Can I make this sauce ahead?

Yes. Cool completely, refrigerate up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat.

Should I break up the sausage or leave the links whole?

Breaking it into chunks (1–2 inch pieces) during cooking releases the meat into the sauce and distributes flavor evenly. Whole links stay intact and are easier to portion.