Easy? Check. Flavorful? Double-check. This fettuccine with sausage and leeks has it all – spice, aroma, and it’s easy as heck to make. Move over Alfredo, this is going to become your new favorite fettuccine recipe.
Who doesn’t love a comforting bowl of goodness on a Monday night? This fettuccine with sausage and leeks is where it’s at. Using the power of leeks AND shallots, this fettuccine recipe goes all-in with aromatics and SPICE. This recipe uses spicy sausage, but I add a little extra kick with a generous shake of crushed red pepper.
How to Make this Fettuccine with Sausage and Leeks:
To make this fettuccine with sausage and leeks is pretty simple and it’s really just layering ingredients in your skillet and letting them cook. Be sure to use a wide enough skillet to eventually toss your cooked pasta in the sauce.
First, you’ll fry up the loose hot Italian sausage. Break it up into bite-sized pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Once it’s all cooked through and nice and caramelized around the edges, add the sliced shallot. Once the shallot is softened, add the leeks and let them cook up for about 4-5 minutes. After the leeks soften, add the sliced mushrooms and cook for about 8-10 minutes. It takes a little while to get everything cooked well. Don’t rush it. Be sure to let your mushrooms cook long enough to release their liquid and for the liquid to evaporate.
After the mushrooms begin to brown, add garlic and cook just briefly until aromatic.
After that, it’s just tossing in some liquid! A little white wine (or stock), a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, and a bit more water, if you need it.
While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta. Throw the pasta directly into the sauce with 3/4 cup of pasta cooking water and voila! Dinner is served.
This fettuccine with sausage and leeks is so delicious and will definitely enter the rotation of your family’s new favorite recipes, I guarantee it!
Looking for more pasta recipes? Check my archives!
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Fettuccine with Sausage and Leeks
Equipment
- Large pot
- Wide skillet
Ingredients
- 16 ounces fettuccine
- 2 teaspoons neutral frying oil
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage loose
- 1 shallot peeled and sliced
- 1 leek trimmed, washed, and sliced into half-moons
- 10 ounces cremini mushrooms trimmed, scrubbed, and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup white wine or chicken stock
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 15 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper more or less to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup fresh parsley minced, plus more for serving
Instructions
Start the Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine until al dente. Remove 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water from the pot. Drain the pasta and set aside. *Note, if you time it right, the pasta should be done as the sauce finishes simmering. If possible, simply use a spider strainer to transfer the cooked pasta directly to the sauce.
Start the Sauce:
- Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 10-13 minutes until mostly cooked through and beginning to crisp up around the edges.
- Add the sliced shallot and cook for 3-4 minutes until it begins to soften. After the shallot softens, add the sliced leeks and cook an additional 5-6 minutes until it softens.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften and begin to brown. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper.
Simmer the Sauce:
- Melt the butter in the skillet. Once it is melted and frothy, add the white wine and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and add the chicken stock and tomatoes. Simmer for 30 minutes, adding more liquid (water or stock) as necessary if the sauce becomes too thick or sticks to the skillet.
Sauce the Pasta:
- Transfer the cooked fettuccine and the minced parsley to the skillet along with the reserved pasta cooking water and toss to coat until the pasta is glossy and well-coated. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
- Divide the cooked pasta between bowls and garnish with fresh parsley, if you like. Enjoy!
So good! Added a bit of (vegan) cheese for extra creamy-ness. Just an amazing pasta! Adding it to my go-to list!
Oh, and I made it with normal tinned tomatoes but added some smoked paprika. And I made it with chicken sausage because I don’t eat pork. Definitely recommend!