Julie Clark
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Bowtie Pasta
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Italian sausage with bowtie pasta are the base of this easy Italian dinner recipe. This sausage pasta sauce has a secret ingredient that makes it rich and delicious. It’s not quite a one pot pasta, but it’s ready in 35 minutes.
I am a collector of fun pasta shapes and often have random bags like trotolle (used in our Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad) and gemelli (in our poppyseed pasta salad) in my pantry.
Bowtie Pasta has always been a classic shape, and it works perfectly in our bowtie pasta with sausage. This easy pasta dish has the most amazing homemade sauce that has a secret ingredient. Keep reading to find out what that is! 😉
Bowtie pasta is the common name for farfalle pasta. There is mini farfalle and a regular size, both are which are good for a variety of sauces, from buttery light sauces to heavier cream based pasta sauces. Its shape is idea for catching and holding any sauce. It’s even great for a bowtie pasta salad!
Ingredients Needed
- Bowtie Pasta. You’ll need 12 ounces of pasta. 16 ounces will work as well and make the sauce go further, but I prefer only 12 ounces of pasta.
- Whole Canned Tomatoes. When I was in Chicago learning how to make pizza, I learned San Marzano tomatoes were the prized tomatoes for cooking because of their flavor. Grocery stores carry 28 ounce cans of San Marzano whole plum tomatoes. I use Cento brand.
- Italian sausage. Any ground sausage will work, but a mild italian sausage or sweet Italian sausage are perfect in this recipe.
- Parmesan cheese. Buy a block of Parmesan cheese and shred it at home. It will melt in the sauce beautifully.
- Onion. White onion has a mild flavor for pasta recipes.
- Garlic, salt, red pepper flakes. All for flavoring the pasta!
- Fresh basil. Don’t skip this! Its worth the time to get the fresh herb and snip it into this sauce.
- Butter. This is our secret ingredient! It makes the sauce rich and slightly creamy. It’s kind of irresistible 😋
Love sausage and pasta together? Try our creamy sausage pasta.
How to Make Bowtie Pasta and Sausage
Make this bow tie pasta recipe in just 5 steps and about 35 minutes.
- Place the sausage, onion and garlic in a large skillet or dutch oven. Cook and crumble the sausage over medium heat until it is fully cooked. Drain off any excess fat.
- Add the salt, red pepper flakes and blended tomatoes. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
- While the sauce is cooking, cook the bowtie pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Add in the basil and butter to the sauce. Then sprinkle in ¼ cup parmesan cheese. Mix until the butter and cheese are melted. Add in another ¼ cup of cheese, then mix, then repeat until all of the cheese has been added in.
- Add the drained bow ties to the sauce, then toss to combine and coat the pasta.
Bowtie Pasta Recipe Variations
- Add mushrooms, spinach, broccoli florets or cherry tomatoes to make the dish go further and add veggies!
- Instead of sausage, try ground turkey or even rotisserie chicken for a different flavor. Add a tablespoon of Italian sausage seasoning if the meat is not already seasoned.
- Want a creamy tomato sauce? Try adding ¼ cup heavy cream or 3 ounces of cream cheese for a creamy bow-tie pasta.
- Love cheese? Top the bowtie pasta with mozzarella cheese and broil it under the oven for 2-3 minutes to get the cheese melted, browned and bubbly.
Make it a meal.
Add a side dish and some bread to this bowtie pasta recipe and bring the family around the table!
Here are a few options:
- Italian Green Beans
- Start with a soup: Italian Vegetable Soup
- Everything Italian Bread
Bowtie Pasta
Italian sausage with bowtie pasta are the base of this easy Italian dinner recipe. This sausage pasta sauce has a secret ingredient that makes it rich and delicious.
Servings 6
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground sausage mild Italian style
- 1/2 cup finely diced white onion one medium onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 28 ounces San Marzano tomatoes or whole plum tomatoes blended until smooth
- 8 ounces bowtie pasta
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves snipped
- 4 tablespoons salted butter cut into slices
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for topping
Instructions
- Place the sausage, onion and garlic in a large skillet or dutch oven pot. Cook and crumble the sausage over medium heat until it is fully cooked. Drain off any excess fat. 1 pound ground sausage, ½ cup finely diced white onion, 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- Add the salt, red pepper flakes and blended tomatoes. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes and stir 2-3 times during cooking. 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 28 ounces San Marzano tomatoes or whole plum tomatoes
- While the sauce is cooking, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. 8 ounces bowtie pasta
- Add in the basil and butter to the sauce. Then sprinkle in ¼ cup parmesan cheese. Mix until the butter and cheese are melted. Add in another ¼ cup of cheese, then mix, then repeat until all of the cheese has been added in. ½ cup fresh basil leaves, 4 tablespoons salted butter, 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce, then mix to combine and coat the pasta.
- Serve with additional basil and parmesan cheese.
Notes
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 6, with 1 serving being ⅙ of the pasta. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 533kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1206mg | Potassium: 632mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1653IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 236mg | Iron: 2mg
