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One-Pan 30-Minute Italian Sausage Pasta
Sausage browns, tomatoes go in, pasta cooks right in the sauce, and a splash of cream at the end pulls it all together. One pot, half an hour, and the kind of dinner nobody complains about.
The greens wilt in at the very end, which is how I sneak spinach past everyone at my table.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 960kcal
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Ingredients
- 1/2 lb small pasta shells or penne
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 white/yellow onion diced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 24oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 24oz jar pasta sauce your favorite
- 1.5 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 handful spinach or kale
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 2 cups shredded cheese Mexican style or any kind
Instructions
- In a deep pan with sides, add olive oil on medium heat. Add Italian sausage and cook until mostly no longer pink.
- Add onions and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until they soften a bit. Add tomato paste and cook for another 1 minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes, pasta sauce, chicken broth, chicken bouillon, Italian seasoning and garlic powder and uncooked pasta. Mix well. Add spinach and mix again. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook until pasta is done, stirring occasionally. Depending on pasta shape, this could take about 20 minutes.
- Turn the heat off when pasta is done, add heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Mix well.
- Add remaining 1 cup of cheese on top of dish, cover and allow to melt for a few minutes. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 960kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 68g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 174mg | Sodium: 3085mg | Potassium: 1572mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 2804IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 601mg | Iron: 7mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Tips for Making This Recipe
- Brown the sausage hard and leave the crusty bits in the pan.
- Cook the tomato paste for a minute before the liquid goes in for a deeper sauce.
- Keep the pasta at a steady simmer and stir now and then so it cooks evenly.
- Add the cream off a hard boil so it does not split.
- Fold the spinach or kale in at the end, off the heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hot or mild sausage?
Either. Mild keeps it kid-friendly; hot adds a background warmth. Red pepper flakes let you split the difference.
Can I skip the cream?
Yes. A ladle of pasta water and extra parmesan gives you a lighter sauce that still clings.
What pasta works?
Small shapes cook most evenly in one pan. Shells, ditalini, or small rigatoni are all good.
Can I make it ahead?
It reheats well with a splash of broth, though the pasta softens a little overnight.
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