Ina Garten Italian Drunken Noodles Recipe

Ina Garten Italian Drunken Noodles Recipe is a hearty Mediterranean dinner featuring spicy Italian sausage and colorful bell peppers. This 45-minute meal uses a dry wine reduction and crushed tomatoes to create a deep, savoury sauce that clings to wide pappardelle.

The first time I made this, I drained the sausage fat away immediately. Now I always leave a tablespoon in the pan to soften the onions and peppers. That leftover fat carries all the toasted fennel and chilli flavour from the meat into the vegetables. If you use a lean oil instead, the finished dish tastes flat and loses its punchy character.

If you do nothing else, let the wine simmer until the sharp smell of alcohol disappears. That’s the difference between a sauce that tastes like a drink and one with a complex, fruity depth. I’ve tried a few versions of drunken noodles and this one from Ina is the one I keep going back to because the crushed tomatoes create a thick coating rather than a thin puddle. It’s a reliable choice for a Friday night when you want something substantial but quick.

Ina Garten Italian Drunken Noodles Recipe Ingredients

For the Noodles

• 340g (12oz) wide egg noodles or pappardelle
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 450g (1lb) Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

For the Sauce

• 125ml (4fl oz) dry white or red wine
• 415g (14.5oz) tin crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 25g (1oz) fresh parsley or basil, chopped
• 30g (1oz) grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

How To Make Ina Garten Italian Drunken Noodles

1. Cook the noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for 8 to 10 minutes until it is cooked but still firm. Drain the water away and toss the noodles with a tiny splash of oil to stop them sticking together while you work on the sauce.
2. Sauté the sausage: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wide pan over a medium heat. Add the sausage meat and break it apart with a wooden spoon, cooking for 5 to 7 minutes until the bits are browned and no longer pink. Use a slotted spoon to move the meat to a plate, leaving the fat behind in the pan.
3. Cook the vegetables: Toss the sliced bell peppers and red onion into the same skillet and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Stir them frequently until the onions are see-through and the peppers have softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for only 60 seconds until you can smell it clearly.
4. Deglaze with wine: Pour in the wine and use your spoon to scrape up the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid bubble and simmer for about 3 minutes until it reduces by half and the steam no longer smells sharp.
5. Add tomatoes and seasoning: Pour the crushed tomatoes into the pan and stir in the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens and the flavours hold together.
6. Combine sausage and pasta: Tip the browned sausage back into the skillet along with the cooked noodles. Use tongs to lift and turn the pasta until every strand is coated in the tomato sauce and the meat is heated through.
7. Finish and serve: Scatter the chopped fresh herbs over the top and give the pan one final stir. Serve the noodles in warm bowls and top with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese immediately.

Recipe Tips

Choose the right wine. Use a crisp Pinot Grigio for a lighter finish or a Chianti if you want the sauce to have a darker, more robust flavour. Avoid “cooking wines” from the supermarket as they contain far too much salt and will ruin the balance of the seasonings.

Pat the peppers dry. If your sliced bell peppers are damp, they will steam rather than fry, so wipe them with kitchen roll before they hit the hot pan. This ensures they get a slight char on the edges which adds a smoky note to the dish.

Don’t overcook the pasta. Pull the noodles out of the water one minute before the packet instructions say they are done. They will continue to cook and absorb liquid once you toss them into the hot tomato and wine sauce.

Use bulk sausage meat. If you cannot find loose sausage meat, simply slit the skins of standard Italian sausages with a sharp knife and squeeze the meat out. Discard the casings so the meat can crumble into small, crispy pieces in the pan.

Scale the heat carefully. Spicy Italian sausage often contains a lot of chilli already, so taste a small piece of the browned meat before adding the extra red pepper flakes. You can always add more heat at the end, but you cannot take it out once it is in the sauce.

Keep the pasta water. Save a small cup of the starchy water before draining the noodles. If the sauce becomes too thick after adding the pasta, a splash of this liquid will help it become silky and coat the noodles evenly.

What To Serve With Italian Drunken Noodles

Serve these noodles with a side of warm garlic bread or rosemary focaccia to soak up the leftover tomato sauce. A crisp Caesar salad or a simple Caprese salad provides a cold, fresh contrast to the heat of the sausage.

If you want more vegetables, roasted Brussels sprouts or grilled tenderstem broccoli work well. A glass of the same wine you used in the sauce is the natural choice for a drink.

How To Store Italian Drunken Noodles

Fridge

Store leftovers in an airtight tin for up to 4 days. The noodles will absorb more sauce as they sit, so the dish may look drier the next day.

Reheat

Warm the noodles in a frying pan over a medium heat with a splash of water or extra tin of tomatoes to loosen the sauce. You can use a microwave for 2 minutes, but the noodles may become very soft and lose their bite.

Freeze

Transfer the cooled mixture to a freezer-safe container and keep for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating on the hob, though the peppers will be much softer after being frozen.

Ina Garten Italian Drunken Noodles Recipe Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 4):

• Calories: 580 kcal
• Protein: 25g
• Fat: 30g
• Carbohydrates: 45g
• Sugar: 6g
• Sodium: 850mg

Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

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