Italian Drunken Noodles (Printable View)

Pasta with spicy sausage or shrimp in Chianti tomato sauce with garlic, onion, and fresh basil.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces spaghetti or linguine

→ Sauce and 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 or peeled shrimp

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

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

→ Liquids and Seasonings

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

→ Fresh Herbs and 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

# 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 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat. Sauté onion for 2–3 minutes until it begins to soften. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add sausage to the skillet and cook 5–7 minutes, breaking into pieces, until browned and cooked through. Alternatively, add shrimp and cook 2–3 minutes per side until pink and opaque.
04 - Stir in cherry tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook 2 minutes, gently mashing some tomatoes to release their juices. Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer 2–3 minutes until reduced by about half.
05 - Add soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or additional red pepper flakes as desired.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until sauce clings evenly to noodles.
07 - Remove from heat. Stir in basil, parsley, and Parmesan until melted and evenly incorporated.
08 - Divide pasta among bowls. Garnish with extra basil, Parmesan, sliced red chili if desired, and lemon wedges for brightness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It brings together the comfort of pasta with the thrill of something unexpected and a little wild.
  • The wine doesn't just flavor the sauce, it transforms the whole dish into something restaurant-worthy.
  • You can swap the protein or skip it entirely and still end up with a dinner that feels like an occasion.
  • It comes together in under an hour, but tastes like you spent all afternoon in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it's the only thing that will bring the sauce together without making it greasy.
  • Add the garlic after the onions have softened or it will burn and turn bitter before the sausage is even close to done.
  • Let the wine reduce properly or the sauce will taste sharp and boozy instead of rich and balanced.
03 -
  • Use the best Parmesan you can find and grate it fresh, pre-grated cheese won't melt into the sauce the same way.
  • If your skillet isn't big enough to toss the pasta comfortably, transfer everything to the pasta pot after draining and finish it there.
  • Taste the sauce before adding salt, the soy sauce, Worcestershire, and Parmesan all bring plenty of savory depth on their own.
Go Back