1- Getting Italian Drunken Noodles just right is simpler than you might think, especially with this step-by-step approach. Start by cooking 8 ounces of uncooked pappardelle noodles according to the package instructions until they’re al dente. Once drained, set them aside while you build the flavorful sauce.

2- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Add 4 spicy Italian sausage links, casings removed and broken into small chunks, then brown them until they’re no longer pink. Remove the sausage and set it aside to keep its texture intact.

3- In the same pan, sauté 1 large quartered and thinly sliced onion with 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper. Cook until the onion caramelizes, about 5 minutes, for that sweet depth. Next, add 1 red, 1 yellow, and 1 orange bell pepper, all cored and thinly sliced, and stir for 2 minutes until they’re slightly tender. For more noodle ideas, check out this similar pasta recipe on our site.

4- Stir in 4 pressed garlic cloves and let their aroma bloom. Pour in ½ cup white wine and let it reduce until almost gone, concentrating the flavors. Add 1 (28-ounce) can of diced tomatoes with their juice and return the cooked sausage to the pan. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes to blend everything together.

5- Finish the sauce by drizzling in 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil and stirring in 2 tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley plus half of the ¼ cup fresh julienned basil leaves. Gently toss the cooked noodles with the sauce to coat them evenly. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed, then serve garnished with the remaining basil, and maybe some shaved Parmesan and extra olive oil. This method yields 4 servings at about 610 calories each, ready in just 45 minutes total.