Spaghetti Napolitan Comfort Pasta (Printable Version)
Sweet ketchup-tomato pasta with sautéed vegetables and sliced sausage, ready in half an hour for a cozy weeknight meal.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 6.3 oz dried spaghetti
→ Meat & Protein
02 - 2 chicken sausages (or pork or vegetarian sausage), sliced
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
06 - 4 white mushrooms, sliced
→ Sauce
07 - 4 tbsp tomato ketchup
08 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
09 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
11 - 1 tsp olive oil
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
13 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
14 - Chopped parsley (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, combine olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat, allowing the butter to melt and lightly foam.
03 - Add the sliced sausage to the skillet and cook until lightly browned on both sides. Toss in the onion, bell peppers, and mushrooms, stirring occasionally until the vegetables soften, about 4 minutes.
04 - Stir in the tomato ketchup, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix thoroughly and let the sauce simmer for 2 minutes to meld the flavors.
05 - Add the drained spaghetti and the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss vigorously with tongs until every strand is evenly coated. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
06 - Transfer to warm plates and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together from pantry staples you probably already have, making it the perfect rescue meal on evenings when grocery shopping feels impossible.
- That balance of sweetness from ketchup and umami from Worcestershire creates a flavor profile that surprises everyone who tries it for the first time.
02 -
- Do not skip reserving the pasta water, because without it the sauce will cling unevenly and you will end up with dry patches of naked spaghetti.
- Cook the ketchup mixture for the full two minutes before adding noodles, as raw ketchup tastes flat and cloying compared to the caramelized version.
03 -
- Slightly undercook the spaghetti by one minute less than the package says, because finishing it in the sauce ensures perfect texture rather than sad overcooked noodles.
- Let the sausages brown without stirring for the first minute, because that caramelized crust adds a layer of flavor that stirring too early destroys.