Italian Drunken Noodles Pasta (Printable Version)

Pasta with spicy sausage, tomatoes, garlic, and Chianti wine sauce finished with fresh basil and Parmesan

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces spaghetti or linguine

→ Sauce & 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, casings removed and crumbled, or 8 ounces peeled shrimp

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

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

→ Liquids & Seasonings

09 - ½ cup dry red wine
10 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
12 - 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

→ Fresh Herbs & Cheese

13 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

→ To Finish

16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
17 - Optional garnish: extra basil leaves, thinly sliced red chili, lemon wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just 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.
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 mash 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 about half.
07 - Add soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or more red pepper flakes.
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 until melted and evenly incorporated.
10 - Divide pasta among bowls. Garnish with extra basil, Parmesan, sliced chili if desired, and a lemon wedge for brightness.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The wine reduces into a glossy sauce that coats every strand without feeling heavy.
  • You can swap sausage for shrimp or mushrooms and it still tastes like a celebration.
  • It comes together in forty minutes but tastes like you simmered it for hours.
  • The basil and Parmesan melt into the heat and turn everything silky.
02 -
  • Reserve that cup of pasta water before you drain, because plain water won't thicken the sauce the same way.
  • Let the wine reduce properly or the sauce will taste sharp instead of rich and rounded.
  • Add the basil and Parmesan off the heat so they stay bright and don't turn bitter or grainy.
03 -
  • Use fresh basil instead of dried, because dried basil turns muddy in this sauce and loses its brightness.
  • Taste the sauce before you add the pasta so you can adjust the heat, salt, and acidity while it is still easy to fix.
  • If the sauce looks too thick after tossing, do not be shy with the pasta water, it is the secret to a glossy, restaurant-quality finish.
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