Italian Drunken Noodles

This Italian Drunken Noodles recipe is a Mediterranean twist on a comfort food classic. Unlike the traditional Thai version, this dish swaps soy sauce for white wine and rice noodles for hearty egg noodles. The “drunken” element comes from deglazing the pan with wine, which picks up the savory, spicy bits left behind by the Italian sausage and creates a sophisticated, deep-flavored sauce.

Italian Drunken Noodles

Ingredients:

How To Make Italian Drunken Noodles:

Step 1: Brown the Sausage: In a 4-quart Dutch oven or a large, deep skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the 1 lb of Italian sausage and cook until browned and crumbled. Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausage from the pan and set it aside, leaving the flavorful drippings behind.

Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics: Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the same pot. Add the sliced onions, all the bell peppers, and the minced garlic. Sauté for about 3 minutes until the vegetables are fragrant and the onions start to turn translucent.

Step 3: The “Drunken” Deglaze: Pour in the 1/2 cup of white wine. Use your spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer the wine for 2/3 minutes until it has almost completely evaporated, leaving behind a concentrated flavor.

Step 4: Simmer the Sauce: Stir in the undrained diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Let the sauce simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes. Return the cooked sausage to the pot and stir in the fresh parsley. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes.

Step 5: Boil the Noodles: While the sauce is finishing, cook the 12 oz of egg noodles in a separate pot of salted boiling water according to the package instructions. Drain them well.

Step 6: Toss and Serve: Add the cooked egg noodles directly into the Dutch oven with the sauce. Toss everything together until the noodles are fully coated in the tomato and sausage mixture. Serve immediately while hot.