Description
This Pepperoni Spaghetti recipe combines savory diced pepperoni with sautéed onions, garlic, and green bell peppers in a rich marinara sauce, simmered to perfection and served over al dente spaghetti. A delicious and hearty meal ready in just 30 minutes, perfect for a satisfying dinner that pleases the whole family.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 pound spaghetti
Sauce & Toppings
- 1 1/2 cups stick pepperoni, diced
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Dice the pepperoni, onion, and green bell pepper. Mince the garlic cloves finely to prepare for cooking.
- Cook Pepperoni: In a medium-sized sauce pot, add the diced pepperoni and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. This releases flavorful drippings that will enrich the sauce.
- Drain Pepperoni: Remove the cooked pepperoni using a slotted spoon and let it drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Keep the drippings in the pot for the next step.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the minced garlic, diced onion, and bell pepper to the pot with the pepperoni drippings. Stir and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and become fragrant.
- Add Seasonings and Simmer Sauce: Stir in the red pepper flakes, dried basil, salt, black pepper, parmesan cheese, and the cooked pepperoni back into the pot. Pour in the marinara tomato sauce and stir to combine. Simmer this sauce mixture on medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat if it begins to bubble too vigorously.
- Cook Spaghetti: While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
- Serve: Drain the cooked spaghetti and plate it onto serving dishes. Top generously with the pepperoni spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle additional parmesan cheese if desired, and serve immediately while hot. Enjoy your flavorful meal!
Notes
- Using stick pepperoni adds a chewy texture distinct from sliced varieties.
- Be sure not to remove pepperoni drippings as they add depth and richness to the sauce.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control the heat level according to your preference.
- Simmering the sauce allows the flavors to meld beautifully; do not rush this step.
- Parmesan cheese can be added more or less depending on taste.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute spaghetti with gluten-free pasta.
