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Simple Italian Drunken Noodles Recipe

Italian Drunken Noodles are a bold, comforting pasta dish made with wide pappardelle noodles tossed in a garlicky white-wine tomato sauce with Italian sausage and bell peppers. Inspired by Thai drunken noodles, this Italian-style version is ready in just 30 minutes and perfect for quick, satisfying weeknight dinners.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 620
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 225 g pappardelle pasta
  • 250 g Italian sausage mild or spicy
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 400 g diced tomatoes
  • 120 ml dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil or parsley chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pappardelle until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the sausage, breaking it apart, until fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
  3. In the same skillet, sauté onion and bell pepper until softened, about 4 minutes.
  4. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  5. Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up browned bits. Simmer 2–3 minutes until reduced.
  6. Add diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened.
  7. Return sausage to the skillet and add cooked pasta.
  8. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed for a silky sauce.
  9. Finish with fresh basil or parsley and serve hot with Parmesan if desired.

Notes

For a lighter version, use turkey sausage. Whole wheat or gluten-free pasta works well. Add pasta water gradually to control sauce consistency.