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One Pot Cheesy Sausage Pasta

This comforting one-skillet meal combines savory Italian sausage, rich tomato-cream sauce, and melty cheese with short pasta for a quick and easy dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 500
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Proteins
  • 1 pound Italian sausage, removed from casings Choose sweet, hot, or mixed.
Pasta & Sauces
  • 1 pound short-cut pasta (penne, rotini, rigatoni, or farfalle)
  • 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes (undrained) Fire-roasted optional.
  • 4 cups chicken broth Low-sodium recommended.
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
Vegetables
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Cheese
  • 2 cups shredded cheese (blend mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan)
Seasonings
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • to taste salt and black pepper

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Heat a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add a drizzle of olive oil.
  2. Add the sausage (removed from casings). Break it up and brown until cooked through and caramelized. Drain excess fat, leaving a tablespoon if you like extra flavor.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and cook for 3–5 minutes until softened.
  4. Stir in garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Don’t let it burn.
Cooking
  1. Pour in the canned diced tomatoes (undrained), chicken broth, heavy cream, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes if using. Scrape the bottom to lift browned bits.
  2. Add the uncooked pasta. Stir so the pasta is submerged in the liquid. Bring to a boil.
  3. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check pasta at 15 minutes for doneness.
  4. Remove from heat. Stir in the shredded cheese until melted and the sauce is creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Fold in fresh chopped basil. Serve immediately with extra basil and grated Parmesan if desired.

Notes

Swap turkey sausage for a leaner option, or use half-and-half for lighter creaminess. For a dairy-free version, omit cream and use dairy-free cheese. For best results, use freshly shredded cheese.