Italian Drunken Noodles (Printable)

Pasta with spicy sausage or shrimp, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and Chianti wine sauce topped with basil and Parmesan.

# 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 - 0.5 cup dry red wine
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, torn
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
15 - 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Finishing

16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat. Sauté onion for 2-3 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add sausage or shrimp to skillet. For sausage: cook 5-7 minutes, breaking into pieces, until browned and cooked through. For shrimp: 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.
05 - Pour red wine into pan, scraping up browned bits. Simmer 2-3 minutes until reduced by about half.
06 - Add soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or additional red pepper flakes.
07 - Add drained pasta to skillet. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until sauce clings to noodles. 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 chili if desired, and lemon wedge for brightness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It delivers restaurant drama in under 40 minutes, perfect for evenings when you want impressive flavors without the fuss.
  • The wine-spiked sauce clings to every strand of pasta, turning simple ingredients into something that tastes like a secret indulgence.
  • You can swap sausage for shrimp or keep it vegetarian, so it adapts to whoever is sitting at your table.
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain, because plain water will not give you the same silky, clingy sauce.
  • Do not skip deglazing with wine, those caramelized bits on the pan hold all the flavor you worked hard to build.
  • Add the fresh herbs and cheese off the heat so they stay vibrant and do not turn bitter or clumpy.
03 -
  • Toast your red pepper flakes in the oil for 10 seconds before adding the onion to unlock a deeper, smokier heat.
  • Use kitchen shears to snip the basil right over the skillet, it is faster than tearing and keeps your cutting board clean.
  • If the sauce tastes too acidic, stir in a pinch of sugar to balance the wine and tomatoes without making it sweet.
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