Pantry Pasta

A delicious Italian pasta dish featuring sweet Italian sausage, cherry tomatoes, and olives, finished with Pecorino cheese and fresh basil. This comforting meal combines pantry staples with fresh ingredients for a quick and satisfying dinner.

4 servings
27 min

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
  • ½ medium medium red onion, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup torn pitted olives, preferably Castelvetrano
  • 1 can (14-ounce) can cherry tomatoes
  • 12 ounces spaghetti
  • 1 to taste Kosher salt
  • ¼ cup peperoncini, thinly sliced
  • 2 ounces Pecorino or Parmesan, finely grated, divided
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup torn basil

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, browned, and crisp in places, 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium; add onion and olives to skillet. Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, mashing tomatoes lightly and stirring often, until juices are slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

    16 min

  2. 2.

    Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

    6 min

  3. 3.

    Add pasta and 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid to sauce and cook, tossing, until pasta is al dente and sauce coats noodles. Mix in peperoncini, cooked sausage, and another 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid. Then, tossing constantly, gradually add all but 1/2 cup cheese, followed by butter. Once incorporated, remove from heat and mix in basil. Divide pasta among bowls. Drizzle with oil; top with remaining cheese.

    5 min