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Italian Drunken Noodles Recipe – A flavorful fusion dish featuring wide pappardelle pasta tossed in a bold, savory tomato sauce with crumbled Italian sausage, sautéed bell peppers, red onions, and fresh basil. This hearty and comforting meal combines Italian and Thai-inspired flavors, making it a perfect weeknight dinner full of spice, richness, and fresh herbs.

Easy Italian Drunken Noodles Recipe

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This Italian drunken noodles recipe combines wide pasta with colorful bell peppers, sweet cherry tomatoes, and a spicy-savory fusion sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes, it's the perfect weeknight dinner that tastes like restaurant-quality comfort food.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Fusion, Italian
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Pasta and Vegetables:
  • 1 pound pappardelle or fettuccine pasta Any wide pasta works well
  • 2 red bell peppers sliced into strips
  • 1 yellow bell pepper sliced into strips
  • 1 large red onion thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves Torn or roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil For sautéing vegetables
For the Sauce:
  • ¼ cup soy sauce Low sodium works well too
  • 3 tablespoons oyster sauce Adds umami flavor
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar Adds Italian twist
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning Dried herb blend
  • 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes Adjust to taste for spice level
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper Freshly ground preferred
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil For the sauce
Optional Add-ins:
  • Italian sausage or chicken Optional, sliced or crumbled
  • Fresh spinach Optional
  • Mushrooms Optional, sliced
  • Grated Parmesan cheese Optional, for serving

Equipment

  • Large pot For cooking pasta
  • Large skillet or wok 12-inch minimum recommended
  • Colander For draining pasta
  • Medium bowl For preparing sauce
  • Set of measuring spoons For measuring ingredients
  • Set of measuring cups For measuring ingredients
  • Cutting board For prep work
  • Sharp knife For vegetable prep
  • Improve For tossing ingredients

Method
 

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and black pepper until well combined. Set aside.
    In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and black pepper until well combined. Set aside.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Don't rinse the pasta.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and bell peppers, cooking for 4-5 minutes until they begin to soften. Add minced garlic and cherry tomatoes, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
  4. Add the cooked pasta to the vegetable mixture. Pour the prepared sauce over the pasta and vegetables. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce. Tear fresh basil leaves and add them to the dish. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until everything is well combined and heated through.

Nutrition

Serving: 350gCalories: 480kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 12gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gSodium: 1050mgPotassium: 580mgFiber: 6gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 3200IUVitamin C: 125mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 3.5mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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