5 Ingredients or Fewer

Tomato Sauce With Italian Sausage and Red Pepper Flakes

by:
May  6, 2019
5
1 Ratings
Tomato Sauce With Italian Sausage and Red Pepper Flakes
Photo by Fazeela Thompson
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 2 hours
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

I adapted this recipe from Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce With Onion and Butter. The original recipe is delicious, but I wanted to try it with some kind of meat or seafood. I decided on mild Italian sausage and red pepper flakes for a little heat.

First, I made the original recipe. Next I made the same recipe and added clams, shrimp and chopped lobster tail. It was delicious, but some clams didn’t open and the lobster pieces disappeared into the sauce. Next I tried sausage and decided I liked this one the best. The fennel in the sausage is a great addition to the sauce. I feel like I’m still not finished experimenting with this recipe, and will continue to try other ingredients to this already delicious recipe. —Fazeela Thompson

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • mild italian sausage 1lb.
  • onion Half of a medium onion chopped
  • whole peeled tomatoes 28 oz. can, crushed or pulsed in food processor
  • red pepper flakes One half to one teaspoon
  • butter 5 Tablespoons
  • salt One half to one teaspoon
  • fresh basil About 5 to 6 leaves chopped
  • parmesan cheese Grated
Directions
  1. Brown sausage in medium saucepan. Turn off heat. Place on paper towel in a bowl and set aside.
  2. In same pan, heat butter and add chopped onion , salt and red pepper flakes and cook until onion is softened. Add tomatoes and cook on medium low for about 45 minutes.
  3. Add sausage to sauce and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.
  4. Serve over pasta of your choice. Top with chopped basil and Parmesan cheese.
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1 Review

Todd T.
Todd T. May 7, 2019
Take this review with a grain of salt because I'm married to the chef, but that also means I'm in a perfect spot to review the dish. The underlying tomato sauce can stand on its own as a delicious combination of buttery richness and tomato-y acid. For those who need more than a basic tomato sauce, sausage and red pepper add umami and spiciness. The result is superb, in the best Italian tradition.