I am so excited to share this cheesy smoked sausage skillet recipe with you today! One pot meals are my favorite, and this one has just topped the list! Savory smoked sausage, creamy melted cheese, fragrant garlic, onions and tomatoes…all come together in a one skillet meal that is sure to please everyone in the family!
One Pot Meals are the best for busy families like mine because they are simple, come together in a flash and require minimal equipment and clean up. Some of our favorite one pot meals are One Pot Chicken Spaghetti, One Pot Creamy Chicken and Noodles and this One Pot Cheesy Smoked Sausage Pasta.
The best part is it takes only about 20 minutes from start to finish. These one pot meals have become my go-to weeknight dinners. Pair with a salad and you’re good to go!
I love smoked sausage, and it was perfect paired with the other flavors in this recipe. I can’t wait to create some more!
HOW TO MAKE CHEESY SMOKED SAUSAGE PASTA
The steps for this recipe are quick and easy. Saute your Hillshire Farm Smoked Turkey Sausage (or any brand will do) with some onion and garlic, then add a can of Rotel diced tomatoes, pasta, cream, chicken broth and seasons. It only takes about 15 minutes to cook – add some cheese and you’re good to go!
- Cook onions, garlic and smoked sausage in a large, deep saute pan and cook until lightly browned.
- Add chicken broth, Rotel tomatoes (or plain tomatoes, with or without chiles is your call), milk, pasta, and seasonings. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover it with the lid and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and the pasta is tender.
- Turn off the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cover for about five minutes to allow cheese to melt. Feel free to use your favorite melty cheese, like Mozzarella or Jack. Pepper Jack would add even more heat so that’s another great option.
A lot of people ask what pan I use for this smoked sausage recipe. I use my Simply Calphalon Nonstick 5-qt. Sauté Pan. It’s a great non-stick pan, it’s held up fabulously for years, and clean up is a snap! I recently purchased a Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 12″ Everyday Pan
and that one is just as fabulous. Both are perfect for any of my one pot meals.
WANT MORE SMOKED SAUSAGE RECIPES?
- Sausage & Apple Sheet Pan Dinner
- One Pan Creamy Tortellini and Sausage
- White Bean, Kale & Sausage Soup
If you enjoyed this recipe, you may also like some of my other one pot meals:
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb Hillshire Farm Smoked Turkey Sausage sliced
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic about two fresh cloves
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 10 oz can diced tomatoes (with or without chiles) (like rotel)
- 1/2 cup milk or heavy cream
- 8 oz dry pasta any small pasta will do
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper each
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a 4-5 quart saute pan over medium high heat. Add onions and sausage and cook until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add chicken broth, tomatoes, milk, pasta, and seasonings. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
- Turn off the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cover for about five minutes to allow cheese to melt. Top with sliced scallions and serve.
- Makes about 4 servings.
*Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Simple Recipes Cookbook.
For a complete list of recipes on the site, be sure to go here.
Hi! I’m Kristin, the creative mind behind Yellow Bliss Road where you will be inspired by tons of easy to follow recipes, lots of free printables, and a little sprinkling of life thrown in for good measure.
I made it! I tweaked recipe a bit, I only used 1 cup of chicken broth, and I used rotel original (drained) in place of tomatoes. I prefer sauce to be a little thick not runny. We absolutely love it!
Great idea K, love that you made it your own!
This recipe was delicious and simple to make. I only had Rotelle with chilies and my husband doesn’t like things spicy, so I added about 3 tablespoons of cream cheese to balance the chilies. Fantastic. Next time I think I will add some spinach or peas to get a veggie in our meal.
Thank you Susan!
Made this last night and it was a big hit! Even my non pasta loving husband went back for seconds! I did tweak it a little, but I think the dish is one of those that can be a little different every time depending on what you have on hand. I added chopped celery and used jalapeno-jack cheese. For the diabetic at the table I had to up the veggy content so I through in some sliced carrots and a can of peas. And a high fibre pasta.It was really good! Thank you, this is now one of those dishes that I will be able to throw together in a hurry and know everyone will be happy!
Thank you Charlene!
Hi! The ingredient list calls for diced tomatoes (which I bought) and as I’m reading the directions I see it should be rotel?
As long as it’s a 10 ounce can, Rotel or plain tomatoes will be fine. Rotel just adds a spicy element.
I added basil, oregano, parsley, red pepper and spinach at the end to add greens. Awesome!
Thank you Alicia!
Kristin. My husband and I really enjoyed this skillet dish. I have a question about the diced tomatoes. You didn’t say whether or not to drain them. I didn’t and thought the sauce was a little thin. Which is right?
Thanks!
I don’t usually drain them but depending on the brand you use I suppose there could be more liquid. The recipe should specify that I use Rotel brand because they do come in the 10-ounce size. Not all brands do.
I’ve had this pinned for a while now, and finally made it tonight in my new Instant Pot! I didn’t even saute anything, just dumped it all in, and it was great!! I used 8 oz of farfalle pasta, cream, and added a couple dashes of cajun seasoning and red pepper flakes. 4 minutes on high pressure, then manual pressure release. There was a fair amount of liquid in the finished priduct, but it did thicken with the addition of the cheese and after cooling down for a couple of minutes. I think it would be good with mushrooms, and some spinach stirred in at the end. Thanks for the recipe, I will definitely make it again!!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, and glad you tried out the Instant Pot!
I used sharp cheddar and pepper jack in place of the cheddar jack cheese. I to have a picky hubby when I do internet recipes and while we were eating he says, instead of canned tomatoes you should have used salsa! Great idea for next time ???.
Yes salsa would be a great swap!
Can i use mozzarella shredded cheese for a substitute?
Absolutely, that would be delicious!
This recipe has very mild flavors. To mild for my family. It was a very quick make..perfect for a week night meal
Thank you Tracy and thank you for your feedback.
Made this for my picky husband and he loved it. I am sure he will ask for it again.
That’s great Patty, thank you for sharing!
My husband now asks for this. I make it at least every two weeks.
hi kristine just made your one pot cheesy smoked & pasta skillet
have to say soooo good
I will make more of your one dish dinner thank you for your sight
So glad you enjoyed it!
Just wanted to say thank you for the recipe! It has the best ratio of great taste to easiness in cooking of any recipe I’ve tried and is a regular fixture in our house. We love it!
Thank you!
So happy that you and your family loved this recipe!
Thank you for stopping by!
Can I use fresh tomatoes and if so how many? I’m also planning to use mushrooms and a whole box of penne, do I need to increase chicken broth?
If you are doubling the amount of pasta, then yes you would need to increase the amount of liquid. However fresh tomatoes release a lot of liquid when cooked, but it’s different than the canned tomatoes. So really it’s kind of a different recipe.
We love this recipe. We use an 8oz can of tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes to accommodate a picky eater and about 1.5 cups chicken broth for a thicker sauce. We also add parsley, oregeno, and basil. Its even better the next day for lunch
I’ve been making this almost weekly for like 2 years now. My whole family loves it! We just started to try some of your other one pot dishes. Thanks for saving me Work in the kitchen with these one pot meals!
Is the chicken broth used to soften noodles?
It cooks the pasta.
This was a great recipe! I actually subbed parboiled brown rice for the pasta and used a vegetarian sausage. Thanks so much for posting – hubs and I give it all the thumbs up!
This is a favorite at my house. I like to add a little more kick to it by using a can of Ro-Tel in place of the diced tomatoes.
Made this last night. The recipe was simple and the cook time was great. It was so delicious that I’m having the leftovers for breakfast!!
OMG! THE. BOMB.COM! Just made this and it was DELISH! So easy. Making again.
This recipe is so easy and delicious. My whole family loves it! I made it lactose for my husband by substituting lactose free milk and leaving out the cheese and it was great. Thank you for posting this recipe.
Hi there. What would you do differently if you’re using cooked pasta? Thx
You’d have to make the sauce separately, but that would be a completely different recipe.