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A big pot of garlicky red sauce, spicy sausage, and twirls of penne…this is that easy, cozy pasta everyone asks for. The secret? Gently caramelized garlic in good olive oil, then a long, lazy simmer so the flavors mingle. A tried and true family favorite.

Slow simmered red sauce with a lot of garlic, Italian herbs, rich olive oil, and spicy chicken sausage. Simmer this sauce low and slow, then toss in fresh penne pasta and top with plenty of cheese. Just add crusty bread…and maybe some wine and you’ll be good to go! Make it on the stovetop, in the Instant Pot, or low and slow in the slow cooker. Toss with penne, shower with parmesan, and dinner’s done.

overhead photo of Best Super Easy Penne…with a lot of garlic with penne sauce in small skillet nest to pasta

Why you will love this recipe

  • Minimal prep, big flavor. Great for busy weeknights or when feeding a crowd.
  • Stovetop, Instant Pot, or Slow Cooker

Ingredient Notes

  • Olive oil & garlic: Go low and slow until the garlic turns lightly golden and smells sweet.
  • Jarred marinara: Call out a favorite brand (you mention Rao’s) but reassure that any high-quality marinara works.
  • Spicy Italian chicken sausage: Brings savory heat; pork sausage works too. Note: remove casings and crumble for best texture.
  • Penne: If using dried, note to cook just shy of al dente so it finishes in the sauce for better absorption.
  • Herbs & chili flakes: Layer some into the oil with the garlic, then finish with fresh oregano or basil for a pop at the end.

Recipe Inspiration

Happy December twenty-sixth. Crazy that Christmas has come and gone and we’re now gearing up for the New Year. Hoping you all had a wonderful holiday and enjoyed time with family. Ours was just as chaotic and crazy as it is every year but perfect at the same time. Wouldn’t change a thing.

We had a snowy two days filled with plenty of cooking, good food, drinks, and many laughs. Nothing fancy, but all the things I love. In addition to the usual family members, we also had a very sweet little addition that made this Christmas incredibly special and blessed. More details to come, but it’s safe to say that my family had a very memorable Christmas!

I’m so excited to have the next few days to spend with everyone, and chill and catch up. But the thing about having family in town? It requires a lot of food. Like a lot. This is the time of year when I turn to my super easy, super simple, recipes. The ones I know will feed a crowd and that will be loved by all. Enter this penne pasta. It’s a recipe I adapted from a close family friend. Over the years I’ve tweaked it to make it more of my own, with just the slightest adjustments.

This is a hearty, cozy pasta that comes together in minutes and is ideal for feeding plenty of family and friends. It’s delicious, looks pretty on any table, and everyone enjoys a GOOD penne pasta.

garlic herb oil in large post before adding pasta

Step by Step

Stovetop Method

Garlic oil: Warm olive oil; add garlic and dried herbs. Gently cook until pale golden and fragrant. The key to this sauce? A lot of olive oil and a lot of garlic. start the sauce by slowly simmering the garlic, herbs, and olive oil together until the garlic is golden and caramelized. This is really important for the best flavor, so take your time when cooking the garlic and go low and slow with it. If you burn it, your sauce will not be nearly as good.

Build the sauce: Once the garlic has turned golden, add a couple of jars of your favorite marinara sauce (I love Rao’s Marinara) and spicy Italian chicken sausage. Stir in marinara and crumbled sausage. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce tastes rounded and rich. The spicy sausage adds an incredibly rich flavor to the sauce and pleases the meat-eaters in the family.

Pasta + finish: Boil penne; reserve a splash of pasta water. Toss pasta with sauce, adding pasta water as needed for a silky, clinging consistency. Finish with parmesan and fresh oregano.

Instant Pot Method

  • Sauté garlic in oil using Sauté mode until lightly golden, then add herbs, marinara, and sausage. Pressure cook per appliance guidelines. Let pressure release naturally for a bit, then switch to quick release. Stir, taste, adjust. (Avoid exact times; point to recipe card if provided.)

Slow Cooker Method

  • Add oil, garlic, herbs, marinara, and sausage straight to the crock. Cook on low until flavors deepen. Stir occasionally if you’re around. Finish with cooked penne and parmesan just before serving.
  • Note: when cooking the sauce in the slow cooker, just add everything to the slow cooker all at once, cover, and again, cook low and slow for several hours. Because you’re cooking the sauce for a long period of time, you can skip cooking the garlic in oil. 
overhead close up photo of Best Super Easy Penne…with a lot of garlic

Make Ahead

My tip? Make the sauce the night before you plan to serve, simmer a couple of hours, then chill overnight. The longer the sauce simmers, the better the flavor. The following day, place the sauce on the stove, simmer, then serve. This will give you truly the BEST penne sauce.

When ready to eat, simply cook up some penne pasta, spoon the sauce over the penne, and top with plenty of grated parmesan and fresh oregano. Toss it up, eat, and enjoy!

Simple and easy as that.

How to make this vegetarian

  • I often make this vegetarian by omitting the sausage from the recipe. When doing so, I always like to add additional crushed red pepper flakes for heat, herbs, and spices to make up for the lost flavor. I’ve listed out all the measurements in the notes section.
  • If you’d like to add protein, I would recommend crispy chickpeas. That will be so delicious!

The sauce looks oily. Did I do something wrong?

GOOD it should be. This sauce is all about the oil and it’s whats makes this the best penne. Once the sauce and penne are combined everything comes together beautifully. And most importantly? It tastes delicious! So an oily sauce is a good sauce. Please trust me.

My garlic turned bitter. What happened?

It likely browned too quickly. Cook over gentle heat and pull the pot off the burner if it darkens; you want pale golden and sweet.

Can I use pork sausage or ground turkey?

Yes. Pork sausage is richer; ground turkey is leaner—taste and adjust salt, chili flakes, and olive oil for balance.

I’ve already made this once this past week for the family. But I’m planning to make another batch for New Year Eve. I like to have this simmering away on the stove for people to enjoy throughout the day. Cold temperatures and outdoor activities mean that people are almost always looking for food. This is the perfect recipe to have warmed and ready to go. You really can’t beat it.

overhead close up photo of Best Super Easy Penne…with a lot of garlic with fork in serving bowl

If you make this Best Super Easy Penne…with A Lot of Garlic, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Best Super Easy Penne…with A Lot of Garlic

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 601 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Stove Top

  • 1. In a large pot, combine the olive oil, garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, dried parsley, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden and caramelized, 8-10 minutes. Add the marinara sauce and season with salt and black pepper. Stir to combine. It will seem as if the ingredients aren’t coming together, but don’t worry.
    2. Roll the sausage into tiny grape-size meatballs and place them in the sauce. Stir to combine. Partially cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and cook for at least 1 hour or up to all day, stirring every hour or so.
    3. When ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne according to package directions until al dente. Drain and divide the hot pasta among plates, topping each with sauce, parmesan, and oregano. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the extra sauce. Enjoy!

Instant pot

  • In the instant pot, combine the olive oil, garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, dried parsley, and red pepper flakes. Set the instant pot to sauté and cook until the garlic is golden and caramelized, 5 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce and season with salt and black pepper. It will seem as if the ingredients aren’t coming together, but don’t worry.
    2. Roll the sausage into tiny grape-sized meatballs and place them in the sauce. Stir to combine.. Cover and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
    3. Finish as directed above.

Slow Cooker

  • 1. In the slow cooker, combine the olive oil, garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, dried parsley, red pepper flakes, marinara sauce and season with salt and black pepper. Stir to combine. It will seem as if the ingredients aren’t coming together, but don’t worry.
    2. Roll the sausage into tiny grape-size meatballs and place them in the sauce. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. 
    3. Finish as directed above.

Notes

If Your Sauce Is Oily: It’s probably just right! This sauce is all about the oil and it’s meant to be oily. Once the sauce is tossed with the pasta, everything comes together perfectly. If you feel like the sausage has released more oil than you’d like, you can scoop away excess oil using a large spoon or 1/4 cup measure. 
To Make Vegetarian: omit the sausage and instead add, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.   
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horizontal photo of Best Super Easy Penne…with a lot of garlic

This post was originally published on December 26, 2019
4.30 from 236 votes (208 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. This is such a delicious pasta! The garlic and herbs smell amazing while they’re cooking. I’ve made it half a dozen times now.

    I didn’t have time to let it cook all day, so I prepared it on the stovetop. I needed less oil (about half) and cooked the meatballs with the garlic and herbs. The fat from the sausage added to the oil, which is why I needed less. Then I added the sauce and 1/2 cup of sundried tomatoes (because why not!). I find the quality of the sausage meat and marinara sauce makes a big difference.

    Thanks for the recipe, Tieghan. It’s a family favourite – my husband refers to it as the mini meatball pasta.

    Reply

    1. Hey Valerie,
      Amazing! Love to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you, thanks for making it! Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

      Reply

    1. Hey Shiree,
      Happy Friday!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment, so glad it was a winner:) x

      Reply

  3. 5 stars
    Amazing. So easy. Rich and garlicky and a new household favourite. Plus the aroma when it is cooking is a true delight. Thank you for yet another winning recipe 😁

    Reply

    1. Hi Stacey,
      Amazing!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad it was enjoyed! xT

      Reply

  4. 5 stars
    I’ve been learning how to cook before I go to college, I’ve made this recipe about five times now and every time, my family has absolutely devoured it, it’s so yummy. My little brother has actually requested it recently, so I wanted to thank you for the recipe. <3

    Reply

    1. Hey Izzi,
      Happy Friday! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it for your family! xT

      Reply

  5. 3 stars
    I’m totally confused. In your cookbook
    This recipe calls for 2 cups olive oil ….. and my sauce has been cooking for over 3 hours and is EXTREMELY oily.
    Your recipe here👆🏻 calls for 1 cup olive oil.
    My question is …. Which is it? All the other ingredient measurements are exactly the same.
    I’m a first timer to making this and right now it just looks like the sauce is hiding somewhere under the oil 🙈

    Reply

    1. I have the exact same question and problem! I used the cookbook recipe which called for 2 cups oil and it is SO OILY. It didn’t come together and the sauce is hiding under the oil. I simmered all day and no change. One cup vs two seems like a huge difference, so I’d like to know which is correct. The amount of marinara to add also is different between the recipes. Any tips from the author would be appreciated.

      Reply

      1. Hi Tina,
        This recipe and the recipe in the cookbook are not the same and they are not meant to be the same:) Mrs. Mooney’s Penne is meant to be oily, that’s how she has always made it and how everyone has enjoyed it. So sorry to hear it was not for you! Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xT

        Reply

  6. This recipe is delicious. However, next time I will make the sausage into smaller “grapes” closer to pea size. I opened a few when serving and they still looked somewhat raw on the inside. So I reheated in the microwave several times. Any other tips for making sure the sausage is fully cooked?

    Reply

    1. Hi Sarah,
      Amazing!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and Happy Monday! Sounds like the sauce needed to simmer a bit longer, it needs at least 1 hour, anything over that and the sausage is definitely cooked:) xT

      Reply

  7. 5 stars
    So delicious and easy! Have made it multiple times and everyone loves it. The technique makes any sauce taste good!

    Reply

    1. Hey Catherine,
      Happy Monday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it turned out well for you:)

      Reply

    1. Hey Katie,
      Perfect!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and thanks so much for trying it out! xx

      Reply

  9. 4 stars
    Thanks for this great recipe! My house smells fantastic. My kids loved it, too! I’m a huge garlic fan so I was excited to make this dinner and it did not disappoint! 🙂

    Reply

    1. Hey Lindsey,
      Amazing!! I appreciate you making this dish and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a winner! xT

      Reply

  10. 2 stars
    The recipe on this site says 1 cup olive oil and in your cookbook it calls for 2 cups. I just made it from the cookbook recipe with 2 cups and it’s SUPER oily. Very disappointed. First recipe made from the cookbook I received for Christmas. Now skeptical about other recipes.

    Reply

    1. Hi Kaye,
      Thanks for trying the recipe, but they are two completely different dishes with totally different names:) Mrs. Mooney’s Penne is meant to be oily, that’s how she makes her sauce. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT

      Reply

      1. They are the exact same recipe. I made the cookbook version and wound up POURING off tons of oil after 5 hours of simmering. Ugh.

        Reply

      2. They do have different names, but it’s a stretch to call them completely different recipes when they are identical except the quantity of oil. Glad I googled and found these reviews before making the recipe in the cookbook. If 1 cup of oil is already a really oily sauce, 2 cups seems excessive (like other reviews have stated). Also, if Mrs Mooney’s is meant to be super duper oily, the cookbook photo is a bit deceiving because it appears to be a thick sauce (which is why I decided to look up reviews before making it, I just couldn’t make sense of the ingredients and the photo!)

        Reply