Italian Sausage Pasta

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. Better yet, try making your own DIY ground beef seasoning or Italian seasoning mix.
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!

Italian Sausage Pasta in a skillet, garnished with fresh parsley

5 from 5 votes

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This easy 30 minute, one pot Italian Sausage Pasta recipe is the perfect family meal topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Servings

Author The Shortcut Kitchen

Ingredients

1 pound Italian pork sausage
1 onion diced
1 ¼ cups water
14 ounces diced tomatoes undrained (1 can)
1 cup tomato sauce
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
8 ounces medium pasta (penne) uncooked
½ cup mozzarella shredded
¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
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.