Paccheri Pasta with Sausage

Paccheri with Sausage in creamy tomato sauce is an easy yet elegant Italian pasta dish to make at home! Large tubular pasta is smothered in a tomato cream sauce with bell peppers and sausage.

Pasta and sausage make one of my favorite combinations. Just take a look at the sausage tortellini recipe and smoked sausage pasta.

This time I decided to use short, tube-shaped pasta I’ve seen recently at the store. Paccheri pasta got my attention because of its size – it’s about 1 inch in diameter. I knew it would go well with a tomato-based meat sauce and would look great on a plate!

Paccheri pasta has an amazing texture and flavor when combined with Italian sausage, bell peppers, and tomato cream sauce. It’s one of those recipes that a whole family will appreciate. This large pasta with ridges looks impressive on a plate!

Tomato cream sauce is made using basic ingredients, such as store-bought tomato sauce, heavy cream, and basil.

What is paccheri?

Paccheri is a large, short, tubular shaped pasta. Paccheri originates in Campania, a region in Southern Italy, and is often used in Neopolitan cuisine.
It is usually topped with sauce, such as ragu (meat-based sauce). Paccheri is also often stuffed with various ingredients, such as ricotta or burrata cheese.
Paccheri pasta usually has a smooth surface. Some types of paccheri have ridges down their length.

Paccheri vs rigatoni

Paccheri is much larger and wider compared to rigatoni, although both types of pasta look very similar in shape.
Both rigatoni and paccheri are often served with sauces.

What to serve with Paccheri pasta

Bread. Serve baguette, garlic bread, olive bread or sourdough bread with your pasta. For a crunchy crust, reheat the bread briefly in the preheated oven.
Salad. Throw some greens together with olive oil or balsamic vinegar based salad dressing. Top with toasted nuts and Parmesan cheese. Simple spinach salad is a great choice!

Substitutions

What can you use instead of paccheri? You can use other short, tube-shaped pasta. Rigatoni is the best choice. You can also use penne or ziti.
What kind of sausage to use with pasta? Use Italian ground pork sausage without casings. It’s best to use spicy sausage.
What is a good substitute for canned tomato sauce? You can use canned diced tomatoes or canned crushed tomatoes instead of tomato sauce.

How to make paccheri pasta

1) In a large skillet, cook Italian sausage on medium heat, until the meat is cooked through. Drain off fat.

2) Next, add tomato sauce.

3) Add diced bell peppers and basil, bring to boil.

4) Immediately reduce to simmer and add heavy cream.

5) Stir the sauce to combine.

6) Cook paccheri pasta al dente. Drain. Add cooked paccheri to the skillet with the sauce. Increase the heat, until the sauce simmers.

7) Season with salt and pepper.

Other pasta sauces to make with paccheri