Sausage Pasta
This hearty Italian sausage pasta comes together in one pan with simple ingredients that create restaurant-quality comfort food. Perfect for busy weeknights when you need something satisfying without spending hours in the kitchen. Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
Instructions
Heat your largest skillet over medium heat. Squeeze the Italian sausage out of its casings right into the pan and break it up with a wooden spoon. Let it brown without moving it too much—about 6-8 minutes total. You want those crispy, flavorful bits. Drain excess fat if there’s more than a tablespoon pooling in the pan.
Toss in the minced garlic and cook for just about a minute, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn. Your kitchen should smell amazing right about now.
Add the diced tomatoes with all their juices, chicken broth, dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir everything together until well combined.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it bubble away for about 10 minutes. Resist the urge to keep stirring—just let those flavors meld together.
While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne pasta according to package directions until al dente (usually about 10-11 minutes, but start checking a minute early). Drain the pasta but don’t rinse it.
Add the drained pasta right to the skillet with the sausage and sauce. Toss everything together until every piece of pasta is coated in that gorgeous sauce—about 1-2 minutes. If it looks too thick, add a splash of the pasta cooking water.
Serve the sausage pasta hot, piled into bowls and topped with chopped fresh parsley and a generous shower of grated Parmesan cheese.
Enjoy your flavorful and satisfying one-pan sausage pasta—try not to go back for thirds!
425
48g
22g
15g
4g
680mg
3mg (17% DV)
120mg (12% DV)
12mg (13% DV)
Seriously, let that sausage brown properly—those crispy bits add so much flavor to the final dish
Every pasta brand cooks differently, so start checking for doneness a minute before the package says
Save a cup of pasta cooking water before draining—it’s liquid gold for adjusting sauce consistency
Fresh Parmesan makes a huge difference here; the pre-shredded stuff just doesn’t melt the same way
If your sausage seems really fatty, don’t be shy about draining off excess grease before adding the tomatoes
Serve with garlic bread and a simple Caesar salad for a complete restaurant-worthy meal
Pair with a crisp arugula salad dressed with lemon and olive oil to balance the richness
Add extra Parmesan and serve with crusty bread for soaking up every drop of sauce
Serve alongside roasted vegetables or sautéed green beans for a more balanced plate
