One-Pot Italian Sausage Pasta
This is quick and lovely and uses minimal dishes. This recipe for one-pot sausage pasta is exactly what it says: one pot only! It’s flavorful with simple pantry ingredients and is ready in 30 minutes. It’s an easy dinner recipe perfect for weeknights.
One Pot Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage if using links, casings removed
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic about 2 cloves
- ½ medium onion chopped
- ½ large carrot grated
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
- 2 ½ cups crushed tomatoes
- 2 ¼ cups chicken broth
- 14-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 cups spinach coarsely chopped
- 3 cups rotini pasta or fusilli, penne, elbow
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan divided
Optional Garnish
- fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Cook sausage. Preheat a large pot to medium heat and cook the sausage in 1 tablespoon of oil. Break the sausage apart with a wooden spoon or spatula until crumbled and browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add oregano and garlic and cook an additional minute. Transfer sausage to a plate and set aside.
- Make sauce. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the onion and carrot. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the onion starts to look translucent. Add thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir in crushed tomatoes, broth, diced tomatoes, and spinach. Return the sausage to the pan. Bring to a boil.
- Cook pasta. Stir in pasta and cover with a lid. Cook for 10-14 minutes until pasta is done to your liking, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Serve. Mix in ¾ cup Parmesan. Garnish with basil and serve immediately. Serve with remaining Parmesan.
Notes
Nutrition
Cooking the pasta right in the sauce helps it thicken up from the starch and stick to the pasta instead of sliding off. The sausage and fire-roasted tomatoes make it taste like it’s been simmering for hours instead of minutes.
If your kids don’t like spinach, don’t worry. It wilts down to almost nothing but still adds some color and nutrition. If they still don’t like it, you can always set some sauce aside without it. Or, if your family prefers broccoli, you can make my sausage broccoli pasta – but be warned, it uses two pots!
Tips for Success
Use a heavy-bottomed pot to prevent sticking and burning.
Don’t skip stirring occasionally – pasta can stick together if left untouched for too long.
Trust your timing – the pasta might look a bit soupy at first but will thicken as it sits.
Grate your own Parmesan if possible – it melts much better than pre-grated.
Ingredients and Equipment
Large Heavy Pot or Dutch Oven: The heavy bottom prevents burning and sticking – crucial since this cooks for about 30 minutes. A lightweight pot will cause scorching.
Italian Sausage: Mild gives good flavor without heat. Remove from casings if using links. Buy it when it’s on sale and freeze – it thaws beautifully.
Fire-Roasted Tomatoes: Worth paying a little extra for. They add a subtle smoky depth that regular diced tomatoes don’t have.
Short Pasta: Rotini, penne, or fusilli all work well. Stock up when it’s on sale – dried pasta keeps forever.
Real Parmesan: Skip the green can for this one. Even a small amount of real Parmesan makes a big difference in the final taste.
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Make It Your Own
Change the meat, the veggies, or the pasta.
- Swap in hot Italian sausage or turkey sausage
- Try kale or Swiss chard instead of spinach
- Add mushrooms with the onions
- Stir in a splash of cream at the end for a richer sauce
- Use different short pasta shapes like bowties or shells
This is a great recipe to keep in your rotation. It’s reliable, uses ingredients you probably have, and there’s only one pot to wash at the end. That’s hard to beat on a busy night.
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.