This Spicy Sausage Pasta is spicy, creamy, cheesy and just crazy delicious! It’s a simple, one-pan meal that can be made in under 30 minutes. Easily one of the best pasta recipes around.
(Originally posted May 24, 2013; update with new photos and instructions)
I absolutely love dinners that are quick, simple to throw together, and delicious. This pasta recipe covers all three. I think this Spicy Sausage Pasta has become one of our newest favorites.
It is loaded with flavor and will knock your socks off. This is one of those pastas that completes me.
This stuff is so good I made it two nights in a row and didn’t have one complaint from my boys. And then we even ate the leftovers the following night . . . that’s three nights in a row of this deliciousness and it was even better the night we ate the leftovers.
SO much flavor packed in!
This is such a super quick meal to make and is done in about 30 minutes. It’s simple ingredients that really pack a punch. Here is what you will need:
- olive oil
- smoked sausage
- onion
- garlic
- chicken broth
- Rotel tomatoes
- heavy cream
- pasta (any tubular shape)
- salt & pepper
- monterey jack cheese
If the word “spicy” scares you, don’t let it. This really isn’t too spicy. It just gets its kick from the Ro-tel tomatoes.
The smoked sausage is a must, it gives it such a great flavor. I love using smoked turkey sausage in this, but any kind will do. Just be sure you use the fully cooked, sausage “ropes” like Hillshire or Eckrich brands.
One-pan meals truly are the best!
Brown your sausage and onion in a large skillet. This just takes a few minutes. Make sure you get some pieces really dark, and crispy on the edges!
Add in the tomatoes, cream, pasta and seasonings. Give it a good stir and the put a lid on top and let it simmer until the pasta is cooked.
No need to boil the pasta!
I love that you don’t have to boil the pasta before hand, which means you’re dirtying only one pan. Easy peasy! Dump in the dry pasta, put the lid on and in about 15 minutes you’ll have perfectly cooked pasta.
This is so fabulous, I promise you will love it.
You are going to want to make this ASAP! You’re welcome!
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Spicy Sausage Pasta
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb cooked, smoked sausage, sliced into 1/4″ pieces
- 3/4 cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 can (10 oz) Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chiles (mild or regular)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz penne pasta (or any tube shaped)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions (optional)
Instructions
- Add olive oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add the sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add chicken broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil and cover the skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes (stir it occasionally).
- Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese. If there is still a lot of liquid, let pasta simmer for a few more minutes, to absorb some of the liquid. Top with the remaining cheese and sprinkle with scallions (if using). Broil until cheese is melted, spotty brown, and bubbly. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Any tubular shaped pasta works great. . . penne, rigatonni, ziti, cellentani, etc.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Pasta
Recipe Source: ATK The Best Simple Recipes
I have made this several times. My family really likes it. The only thing thing I have done differently is to do a cornstarch and water slurry and add near the end of cooking time to thicken the sauce a bit. Otherwise delicious!
★★★★★