Italian Drunken Noodles with Chianti (Printable)

Sizzling pasta with spicy sausage, sweet tomatoes, and Chianti in a bold wine-kissed sauce

# Ingredient List:

→ 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, casings removed and crumbled, or 8 ounces peeled shrimp

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

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

→ Liquids and Seasonings

09 - 0.5 cup dry red wine, Chianti or Sangiovese
10 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
12 - 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

→ Fresh Herbs and Cheese

13 - 0.5 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 - 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

→ To Finish

16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
17 - Optional: extra basil leaves, thinly sliced red chili, lemon wedges

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom.
03 - Add onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add sausage or shrimp to the skillet. If using sausage, cook 5 to 7 minutes, breaking into pieces, until browned and cooked through. If using 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 red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. 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 to noodles.
09 - Remove from heat. Stir in basil, parsley, and Parmesan until melted and evenly incorporated.
10 - Divide pasta among serving bowls. Garnish with extra basil, Parmesan, sliced chili if desired, and lemon wedges for brightness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours simmering sauce, but youre done in under 40 minutes.
  • The wine reduction creates a glossy, restaurant-quality coating that clings to every strand of pasta.
  • You can swap sausage for shrimp or mushrooms and it still delivers that bold, umami-packed punch.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even richer the next day.
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain, it has starch that helps the sauce hug the noodles instead of sliding off.
  • Dont skip deglazing with wine, those browned bits on the pan are pure flavor and the wine lifts them right up.
  • Add the garlic after the onion softens, if you add it too early it will burn and turn bitter.
  • Toss the pasta in the skillet off the heat so the cheese melts creamy instead of clumping.
03 -
  • Use a wide skillet so the pasta has room to toss without clumping, a crowded pan makes everything steam instead of sauté.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh from a block, pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly.
  • If the sauce feels too thick, add pasta water one tablespoon at a time, it emulsifies better than plain water.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta so you can adjust seasoning while its still concentrated.
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