Penne Pasta with Spicy Sausage and Bursting Tomatoes

Penne tangled with bursts of juicy cherry tomatoes, spicy Italian sausage popping with flavor, and that creamy mozzarella melting just right—there’s a satisfying mess happening here. Colors dancing on the plate, smoky edges, the hint of chili teasing your tongue. Tomatoes cracking open like tiny fireworks, courgettes soft but not mushy. The kitchen smells like a warm street market, busy, alive. Cozy chaos.

Why You’ll Crave It

• Combines sweet tomatoes with savory, spicy sausage bits—total flavor party.
• Quick mingling of vibrant veggies keeps things fresh and light.
• Cheesy Mozza melting on top? Yeah, that’s the gooey finish we want.
• Comfort food vibes without heavy heaviness—perfect any day.
• A one-pan wonder with pasta, sauce, and all the goodies mixed in.

Made this on a whim once, and yeah, it’s stuck in my rotation ever since.

What You’ll Need

• Penne pasta: 500 g (about a pound), uncooked, any short kind works fine
• Italian sausage: 5 links, sweet or spicy, your call—casings off, ready to crumble
• Cherry tomatoes: 400 ml each of red and golden, whole and juicy
• Garlic: 3 cloves, minced fine, sharp punch incoming
• Olive oil: 70 ml, good and fruity for browning and flavor
• Black pepper: slightly more than half a teaspoon, fresh cracked
• Crushed red pepper flakes: about a teaspoon, adjust for your zing level
• Green zucchini: 3 small ones, diced fairly small but not tiny
• Scallions: 7, sliced thin, fresh bite
• Parmesan cheese: half a cup freshly grated, nutty sharpness
• Mozzarella: one ball around 300 g, torn roughly for oozy chunks
• Fresh basil: handful of leaves, torn, adding herbal brightness (twist ingredient)
• Sun-dried tomatoes: rough chopped, 80 ml, chewy sweet tang (replacement for some cherry tomatoes)

Easy How-To

Kick off the pasta

Boil a big pot of salty water. Toss in the penne. Cook them until they’re just holding up—al dente, you know? Drain, then toss with a little olive oil so they don’t stick. Set aside, but keep that energy going; we’re not done.

Sausage scoop and sizzle

Forget the casings—pull the sausage mix out with your fingers. Make tiny meatballs, roughly teaspoon-sized. Heat up the olive oil in a big skillet. Drop those sausage balls in. Let them brown and crisp up for about 6 minutes, turning now and then. They’ll smell amazing, maybe get a bit caramelized.

Tomatoes hit the pan

Throw in your cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes with the garlic. Stir gently to spread the garlic fragrance, keep an eye so the garlic doesn’t burn. Cook for around 7 minutes until the tomatoes start to burst, juicy and slightly saucy. Sprinkle in the pepper and crushed red flakes. Stir well to coat everything in spicy warmth.

Veggies join the mix

Add your zucchini cubes and sliced scallions. Keep the heat medium, continue cooking for 6 minutes or until zucchini softens but holds texture. Season with salt. At this point, the pan smells like the good kind of chaos.

Bring it all together

In goes the cooked penne, toss everything in the pan so the sausage, tomato sauce, and veggies mingle with the pasta. Stir gently, don’t crush the tomatoes too much. Remove from heat, sprinkle the parmesan all over, then scatter torn mozzarella and fresh basil leaves on top. Let them melt slightly in the residual heat—ooozy and fresh.

Good to Know

• Casing removal makes sausage fluffier and cooks more evenly in little balls.
• If tomatoes aren’t super sweet, sun-dried tomatoes add a nice tang umami boost.
• Don’t overcook zucchini or you lose the texture—it should still offer a tiny bite.

Serving Ideas

• On a rustic wooden board with warm crusty bread to soak all the juices.
• A quick drizzle of balsamic glaze adds a sweet-acid kick that surprises.
• Paired with a fresh green salad tossed in lemon vinaigrette—balance city.

Top Tricks

• Keep some pasta water handy; a splash loosens the sauce if it feels too thick.
• Browning sausage well gives that deep flavor you don’t get with quick cooking.
• Fresh basil added at the end keeps its punch instead of wilting into mush.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use other pasta types?

Absolutely. Short pasta like rigatoni or fusilli works perfectly—those ridges catch the sauce. Just adjust cooking times if needed.

What if I don’t have fresh mozzarella?

No worries—cubed bocconcini or even shredded mozzarella works. Add it right before serving so it melts gently with the residual heat.

How spicy is this dish?

Adjust your crushed red pepper flakes according to taste. Start with a teaspoon if you like heat; skip it for something milder. The sausage type also matters—sweet vs spicy.