Italian Drunken Noodles (Printable)

Pasta with spicy sausage, cherry tomatoes, and Chianti wine sauce

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces spaghetti or linguine

→ Sauce and Proteins

02 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
03 - 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
04 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
06 - 8 ounces Italian sausage or peeled shrimp

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

07 - 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Liquids and Seasonings

09 - 0.5 cup dry red wine
10 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
12 - 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

→ Fresh Herbs and Cheese

13 - 0.5 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 - 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Finishing

16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat the pan evenly.
03 - Add onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until it begins to soften. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add sausage or shrimp to the skillet. For sausage, cook 5 to 7 minutes, breaking into pieces, until browned and cooked through. For shrimp, cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until pink and opaque.
05 - Stir in cherry tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook 2 minutes, gently mashing some tomatoes to release their juices.
06 - Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes until reduced by approximately half.
07 - Add soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or additional red pepper flakes as desired.
08 - Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until sauce clings to noodles.
09 - Remove from heat. Stir in basil, parsley, and Parmesan cheese until melted and evenly incorporated.
10 - Divide pasta among bowls. Garnish with extra basil, Parmesan cheese, sliced red chili if desired, and lemon wedges for brightness.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but you'll be eating in under 40 minutes.
  • The wine-spiked sauce clings to every strand of pasta, delivering big flavor in every forkful.
  • You can swap sausage for shrimp or go vegetarian without losing any of the vibrancy.
  • It's the kind of dish that makes weeknight dinners feel like an event.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it's the secret to a silky sauce that coats instead of pools.
  • If your wine is too sweet, the sauce will taste off, stick with a dry red you'd actually enjoy drinking.
  • Let the tomatoes cook long enough to break down and caramelize slightly, that's where the sweetness comes from.
  • Add the fresh herbs only after you've turned off the heat, or they'll turn dark and lose their brightness.
03 -
  • Toast your red pepper flakes in the oil for a few seconds before adding the garlic, it blooms the heat and makes it more fragrant.
  • If the sauce tastes flat, a tiny pinch of sugar can balance the acidity from the tomatoes and wine.
  • Use tongs instead of a spoon to toss the pasta, it's easier to coat every strand evenly without breaking the noodles.
  • For extra richness, stir in a tablespoon of butter at the very end, it makes the sauce glossy and luxurious.
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