Italian Drunken Noodles (Printable)

Pasta with spicy sausage, cherry tomatoes, and garlic in a bold Chianti wine sauce, finished with fresh basil and Parmesan.

# What You 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 8 ounces 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 Steps:

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 - While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom evenly.
03 - Add onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until it begins to soften. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add sausage or shrimp to the skillet. For sausage: cook 5 to 7 minutes, breaking into pieces, until browned and cooked through. For shrimp: cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until pink and opaque.
05 - Stir in cherry tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook 2 minutes, gently mashing some tomatoes to release their juices.
06 - Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes until reduced by about half.
07 - 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.
08 - 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.
09 - Remove from heat. Stir in basil, parsley, and Parmesan until melted and evenly incorporated throughout.
10 - Divide pasta among serving bowls. Garnish with additional fresh basil, Parmesan, sliced red chili if desired, and a lemon wedge for brightness.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It uses pantry staples and whatever wine youre already drinking, so theres no need for a special shopping trip.
  • The sauce clings to every strand of pasta thanks to the starchy cooking water and a generous splash of Chianti.
  • You can swap sausage for shrimp or mushrooms and it still tastes like a restaurant splurge.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day when the flavors have melded.
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain, it's the only way to get the sauce to hug the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Don't skip deglazing with wine, those browned bits on the pan hold concentrated flavor that transforms the whole dish.
  • Add the basil and Parmesan off the heat so they stay vibrant and don't turn bitter or grainy.
03 -
  • Use a large skillet so the pasta has room to toss without clumping, a crowded pan means uneven coating.
  • If the sauce looks dry, add pasta water one tablespoon at a time instead of dumping it all in, you can always add more but you can't take it back.
  • Let the wine reduce fully before adding the other liquids, this concentrates the flavor and prevents a boozy aftertaste.
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