1-First, prepare all your ingredients by getting the pappardelle noodles ready to cook. Start by cooking 8 ounces of pappardelle noodles according to package instructions, then drain them well and keep them warm. This sets the base for your dish and ensures the noodles absorb the flavors later.

2-Next, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat. Crumble 4 spicy Italian sausage links with casings removed into the pan and brown them until fully cooked, then set aside. This step builds a rich base with the sausage drippings that add depth to the whole recipe.

3-Using the same pan, caramelize 1 large onion that’s been quartered and thinly sliced until it’s golden, which takes about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper to layer in those essential flavors. Adding the seasonings here helps everything blend smoothly.

4-Add 1 red bell pepper cored and thinly sliced, 1 yellow bell pepper cored and thinly sliced, and 1 orange bell pepper cored and thinly sliced, then sauté for about 2 minutes until they’re tender. Toss in 4 cloves of garlic that’s been pressed and cook until aromatic, which only takes a moment but makes a big difference.

5-Pour in ½ cup of white wine and let it reduce until nearly evaporated, which enhances the sauce’s brightness. Then, add 1 (28 ounce) can of diced tomatoes with juice and return the browned sausage to the pan. Gently fold everything together and simmer for 3-4 minutes to let the flavors meld.

6-Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil into the sauce for a silky texture, then stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley and half of the ¼ cup of julienned fresh basil leaves. Add the warm noodles to the sauce, toss to combine, and adjust seasoning as needed for your taste.

7-Finally, serve in bowls and garnish with the remaining half of the ¼ cup of julienned fresh basil leaves, along with shaved parmesan if you like, and an extra drizzle of olive oil. This step-by-step approach, with its total time of just 45 minutes, makes Italian Drunken Noodles a quick win for busy parents or students.