Harissa Pasta

Make Harissa Pasta now: spicy harissa, creamy tomato, and sausage tossed with bucatini for a bold weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 lb bucatini pasta (, or spaghetti)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 shallot (, diced)
• 1 lb ground sausage (we use Jimmy Dean)
• 5 cloves garlic (, minced)
• salt and pepper
• ¼ cup harissa paste (, I like the Trader Joes brand.)
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup sun dried tomatoes (, finely diced)
• 1 cup heavy cream (, at room temp)
• ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley (, plus more to serve if desired)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (, plus more to serve if desired)
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves (, chopped)

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the pasta

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil and cook the bucatini (or spaghetti) until perfectly al dente, following the package timing. Leave plenty of pasta water in the pot — do not drain it — so you can loosen the sauce later. Keep the strands glossy and slightly firm to the bite; this is the foundation that will marry with the sauce in the pan.

Step 2: Sauté aromatics and brown the sausage

Warm a large stainless steel skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil, then add the diced shallot and cook just until softened and translucent, about two minutes. Add the ground sausage and break it apart with a wooden spoon, letting it brown in small crumbled morsels until caramelized edges appear. Toss in the minced garlic, cook for just thirty seconds until fragrant, and season lightly with salt and pepper — you want browned savory bits and golden fond clinging to the meat.

Step 3: Build and finish the harissa-tomato cream sauce

Stir in the tomato paste, harissa paste and oregano, cooking briefly to toast the paste and bloom the spices so the color deepens to a rich reddish-brown. Gradually pour in the low-sodium chicken broth and add the finely diced sun-dried tomatoes, letting the mixture become cohesive and slightly reduced. Turn the heat low and whisk in the room-temperature heavy cream, freshly grated parmesan and chopped parsley until the sauce is glossy, emulsive, and thick enough to coat a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning — this is the visual and flavor milestone where savory browned sausage meets silky spicy cream.

Step 4: Combine pasta and sauce

Using tongs, lift the hot bucatini directly from the pot of cooking water and transfer it straight into the skillet with the finished sauce. Toss vigorously so each long strand is ribboned in the creamy harissa-tomato coating; if the sauce seems too tight, splash in a little reserved hot pasta water to loosen and achieve a glossy cling. Keep the skillet moving so the textures integrate: glossy pasta strands, crumbled sausage pockets, and flecks of sun-dried tomato and herb.

Step 5: Garnish and serve

Pile the twirled bucatini into the same gleaming stainless steel skillet, shower generously with freshly chopped basil and an extra dusting of grated parmesan. Let the cheese melt into warm rivulets across the noodles, and present the skillet on the painted pine wood surface for serving — the final dish should feel vibrant, creamy, and texturally rich with pops of herbaceous green and grainy cheese.

Notes

• Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce texture and help it cling to pasta.
• Use room temperature cream to prevent curdling and to help the sauce emulsify.
• Toast the tomato and harissa pastes briefly to deepen their flavor before adding broth.
• Double the sauce if you want extra coating for leftovers or guests.
• Reheat gently with a splash of broth or water to restore creaminess.