One Pot Sausage Pasta (Printable version)
Juicy sausage, tender pasta, and rich tomato sauce all cooked together in one pot for easy cleanup.
# List of ingredients:
→ Meats
01 - 14 oz Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed and crumbled
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 zucchini, diced
→ Pasta & Liquids
06 - 10 oz penne or rigatoni pasta (uncooked)
07 - 3 cups chicken broth
08 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
→ Dairy
10 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - ½ cup heavy cream
→ Spices & Herbs
12 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme)
13 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
15 - Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
# Directions:
01 - Heat a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the crumbled sausage and cook for 4–5 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned.
02 - Add the onion and cook for 2–3 minutes until translucent. Stir in the garlic, bell pepper, and zucchini; cook for 3–4 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to develop flavor.
04 - Add the uncooked pasta, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes (if using). Season with salt and pepper.
05 - Stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until melted and creamy. Adjust seasoning if needed.
07 - Remove from heat. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The pasta cooks directly in the sauce, absorbing all those incredible flavors while saving you from washing a second pot
- That moment when the cream hits the tomatoes and suddenly everything transforms into something restaurant-worthy
- It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
02 -
- The pasta continues absorbing liquid even after you turn off the heat, so if the sauce looks perfect in the pan, it might be too thick by serving time
- Reserve some pasta water before adding the cream just in case you need to loosen the sauce
- Different pasta shapes cook at different rates, so start checking at the 12 minute mark
03 -
- Cheese the sauce off the heat to prevent separating
- Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom, thats where the flavor lives