This simple one pot Italian Sausage Pasta recipe couldn’t be easier!
This delicious kid-friendly Italian pasta sausage recipe goes from stove to table in less than 30 minutes. It’s the perfect weekday meal for busy parents on the go! Made with Italian sausage and penne pasta in a tomato base topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan, this meal is always a crowd-pleaser, perfect for potlucks and buffets too!
Thank you to Frieling USA for sponsoring this belly warming Pasta Recipe!
Best Italian Sausage Recipe
- Easy and versatile Italian sausage pasta is a guaranteed hit with families and cooks alike.
- Melding sausage and pasta in a red sauce base, this spicy Italian sausage pasta recipe is prepped and ready in no time. And because it’s assembled in just one pot or skillet, cleanup couldn’t be easier!
- There is plenty of room for your choice of veggie add-ins too. Diced eggplant, peppers, zucchini, or fresh tomatoes from the garden are welcome options. Add in some slivers of fresh garlic to amp up the flavor even more.
- A creamy cheesy, topping gives this robust meal even more stick-to-your-ribs appeal!
Ingredients and Variations
Try some of these variations and let your cooking creativity go wild!
MEAT – Instead of Italian sausage, try substituting smoky chorizo with Mexican seasonings, or pre-cooked frozen meatballs from the freezer aisle. Turkey, chicken, or beef sausages can also be subbed in for the Italian. Browned ground beef could also be part of the picture, either as a stand-alone meat, or in addition to the sausage.
PASTA – Rigatoni, rotini, medium shells, or any other pasta shape you prefer will work just as well as penne pasta. Be sure to adjust cooking time accordingly, using the package directions.
CHEESE – Romano is a perfect substitute for Parmesan. Shredded provolone, muenster, or Monterey jack are also variations on mozzarella. Consider using crumbly cotija, when going for a Mexican taste variation.
How to Cook Italian Sausage Pasta
- Use this Woll skillet to cook sausage with onion until no pink remains (as per recipe below).
- Add in remaining ingredients, except cheese, and continue cooking until pasta is tender.
- Top with cheese and serve hot.
- Serve hot with a side of jalapeno cornbread.
Favorite Shortcut Tips!
Hard to believe, but prep and cook time for Italian sausage pasta can be even quicker with these tips!
- Use mini pasta shapes, (such as mini shells) instead of medium.
- Substitute onion and/or garlic powder for the diced fresh onion to make prepping and cleanup even faster!
- Packaged seasoning mixes will make cooking sausage pasta even quicker.
- Serve Italian sausage pasta from the same pot or skillet you cooked it in to make cleanup even more of a breeze.
Other Delish One Pot Meals!
- One Pot Creamy Tomato Pasta – quick 10 minute prep.
- Sausage and Potatoes Skillet – hearty and flavorful.
- One Pot Creamy Garlic Pasta – delicious side or main.
- Black Bean Pasta – delish 30 minute meal.
- Homemade Sloppy Joe Sauce – easy to make
Italian Sausage Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian pork sausage
- 1 onion diced
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 (14.5 ounce can) canned diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 8 ounces medium pasta (penne) uncooked
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- chopped fresh parsley or basil, optional
Instructions
- Cook sausage and onion until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
- Stir in remaining ingredients except cheese.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered 14-16 minutes or until pasta is tender.
- Remove from heat and top with cheese. Broil 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Garnish with parsley.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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I made this tonight with tiny rigatini pasta. I added 4 garlic cloves, eggplant and portobello mushrooms. I used Rao’s marinara sauce for the tomato sauce. It was wonderful! The only problem is that it made enough not for 6 servings but for 20!
Super easy and delicious! Most of the ingredients are ones you probably have so it makes for a good meal when in a pinch! I also find it very flexible to add extra veg or different meat or a white cheese if this is what you have on hand. I did use extra pasta and just added an extra can of diced tomatoes, extra seasoning, and some extra water.
So glad you love this pasta so much Stephanie!
Hi! Are these macro counts for just one serving? If not, what is the serving size? Thank you 🙂
The nutrition information is for one serving. The recipe makes 6 servings, so one serving is one sixth of the finished recipe. Enjoy Lauren!
It is hard to find 8 oz box of penne pasta most is 13.25 or 16 oz and push everything up a quater? Or, do double of everything?
You could double the recipe Alyson or use half the box of pasta for fewer leftovers if you want 🙂