Make this Spicy Sausage Pasta recipe in under 15 minutes with just 6 ingredients. Packed with flavor from fresh sausage, garlic, parmesan and bacon - with a lighter touch from spinach.
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This bacon and sausage pasta is a true weeknight favorite in my home. A unique pasta recipe that's deliciously spicy with lots of flavor from sausage, bacon garlic, and it all comes together in just 15 minutes.
If you're looking for something even quicker, you can also try my Creamy Pesto Pasta.
Why you will love this recipe
- It's quick and all done in less than 15 minutes
- It's easy to make with just 6 ingredients
- It's loaded with flavor from spicy sausage, bacon, garlic and parmesan
- It has a nice spicy kick to wake up your taste buds
- Spinach adds a green boost and a nice earthy taste
- It's a bit lighter than many similar recipes, since we don't use any heavy cream
What you need to make Spicy Sausage Pasta
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Sausage - I love using fresh chorizo, but you can use any type of fresh sausage, spicy or not. Try Italian sausage insetad to make Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta.
- Butter might not be necessary, this depends on how much fat the bacon and sausage release. Only add it if the pan starts to look dry! It can also be swapped for olive oil.
- Spinach - fresh is best, but you can use frozen and thawed spinach in a pinch
- Pasta - I love tagliatelle for this, and fresh is just quicker. But you can use other types of pasta, fresh or dried.
- Red pepper flakes can be added for extra spiciness
- Salt is generally not needed since we are adding bacon. Taste test first, then nd add a bit if you still want to!
How to make Spicy Pasta with Sausage and Bacon
- Place chopped bacon in a cold pan, then set the heat for medium-high
- Cook until bacon is cooked through and has released some fat
- Add chopped fresh chorizo, where you've peeled off the skin (check out the video to see how it's done!), together with finely chopped garlic
- Fry until sausage is cooked through
- Add spinach and mix with the sausage and bacon
- Allow the spinach to wilt, then deglaze the pan with some of the pasta water (just pour it in the pan and stir to release all the tasty bits stuck to the bottom)
- Add cooked pasta and more pasta water, and mix well
- Add parmesan cheese, and mix
- And it's ready to serve!
Tips & tricks
- Place bacon in a cold pan to allow it to release as much fat as possible. This means you need to add less (or no) fat, and can cook in the bacon fat instead.
- If your sausage releases a lot of fat you might want to remove som of it. If doing so, don't pour it straight into the drain - instead pour it into a bowl, soak it up with paper towels, and throw them in the trash.
- Don't skip the pasta water! It's the secret to this dish coming together so well.
- Adjust the amount of pasta water depending on how saucy you want it. Made as written in the recipe card there's not really any "sauce", just a nice coating of the tagliatelle.
Storing, freezing & reheating instructions
Storing leftovers: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezing leftovers: Freeze leftovers in an airtight container, for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers in the microwave. Start with 2 minutes on high power, mix, then add time in 30 second increments as needed.
Recipe FAQ
First of all, you need fresh sausages for this, the kind where you can peel off the skin to remove it. Second, this recipe is best made with a spicy type of sausage - I love fresh chorizo, but you can use other types as well. Spanish sausage and Italian sausage is generally good for this.
It can be made with a non-spicy sausage as well, but make sure it's still one with a lot of flavor.
I like tagliatelle for this recipe, but you can use any type of pasta you like - other great options are fettucine and spaghetti, but you can also use a different type entirely, like rigatoni, fusilli, or penne pasta. I prefer fresh pasta when making quick recipes like this one, but it works just as well with dried pasta.
More 15-minute pasta dishes
Love quick pasta dishes, like this Spicy Sausage Pasta? Then I know you will love these recipes!
- Garlic Butter Pasta
- Tortellini Carbonara
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Salmon Crème Fraîche Pasta
- Crème Fraîche Carbonara with Bacon
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Spicy Sausage Pasta
Print RateIngredients
- ⅔ lb fresh chorizo sausage
- 5 ounces bacon chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 big handfuls fresh spinach
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¾ lb fresh tagaliatelle cooked according to package instruction
- 1 cup pasta cooking water
- 1 tablespoon butter optional, use only if needed
Instructions
- Peel the skin off the sausages by making a cut into the sausage, and pulling off the skin. Then chop the sausages roughly.⅔ lb fresh chorizo sausage
- Place chopped bacon in a cold frying pan and place it over medium-high heat. Cook until bacon is cooked through and has released some fat.5 ounces bacon, 1 tablespoon butter
- Add the sausage and the chopped garlic and cook until sausage is cooked through. Stir often and try to break apart the sausage a bit as it cooks.2 garlic cloves
- Add the spinach and mix it in with the bacon and sausage, and allow to wilt.2 big handfuls fresh spinach
- Deglaze the pan with half a cup (100 ml) of pasta cooking water, by pouring in the pasta water and then stirring well to release all the bits from the bottom of the pan.1 cup pasta cooking water
- Add pasta and half a cup (100 ml) of pasta water and mix well. Add more pasta water if needed for everything to combine well, or if you want more sauce.¾ lb fresh tagaliatelle
- Add the grated parmesan and mix well. And you're ready to serve!½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
Video
Notes
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Sausage - I love using fresh chorizo, but you can use any type of fresh sausage like Italian sauasage or Spanish Sausage, spicy or not
- Butter might not be necessary, this depends on how much fat the bacon and sausage release. Only add it if the pan starts to look dry!
- Spinach - fresh is best, but you can use frozen and thawed spinach in a pinch
- Pasta - I love tagliatelle for this, and fresh is just quicker. But you can use other types of pasta, fresh or dried.
Tips & tricks
- Place bacon in a cold pan to allow it to release as much fat as possible. This means you need to add less (or no) fat, and can cook in the bacon fat instead.
- If your sausage releases a lot of fat you might want to remove som of it. If doing so, don't pour it straight into the drain - instead pour it into a bowl, soak it up with paper towels, and throw them in the trash.
- Choose your favorite fresh sausages and make this dish your own
- Don't skip the pasta water! It's the secret to this dish coming together so well.
- Adjust the amount of pasta water depending on how saucy you want it. Made as written in the recipe card there's not really any "sauce", just a nice coating of the tagliatelle.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Freeze leftovers in an airtight container, for up to 3 months
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Nina
So quick, easy, and delicious! I used spicy Italian sausage instead of chorizo and added pepper flakes for an added kick and it was so good and simple!
Shana Seifert-Ross
This dish is super yummy and so easy to make!
Arlene
Is it possible to use a low carb pasta with this recipe? What would you recommend?
Thank you
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Arlene,
Sure, you can use that. I haven't cooked with it though, so I don't know which kind would be good. I know a friend of mine uses a lot of bean pasta, so maybe that would be Something to try?
/Emmeline
Gina
This was good, fast and east. I used smoked beef sausage with whatever pasta I had added some red pepper a little more garlic and butter and viola!! The picky one had 2 helpings and the real picky one finished b4 everyone!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Gina! That’s awesome! Thanks for leaving a review.