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Creamy, cheesy, spicy and savory, this One Pot Cheesy Sausage Pasta meal has got it all!
This cheesy smoked sausage pasta skillet recipe is one of our favorite One Pot Meals. 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.
Love meals with smoked sausage? Be sure to try our Instant Pot Jambalaya with Shrimp and Sausage or Smoked Sausage and Potato Sheet Pan Dinner.
Pin this recipe for later!Table of Contents
Cheesy Sausage Pasta Recipe
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 garden salad and you’re good to go!
I love smoked sausage, and it was perfectly paired with the other flavors in this recipe.
Ingredients for Smoked Sausage Pasta
- Smoked Turkey Sausage – Any smoked sausage will work, like beef or pork or a kielbasa.
- Diced Onion – To add flavor with the sausage.
- Minced Garlic – Fresh garlic is best, but you can also use jarred minced garlic.
- Chicken Broth – I always buy the low sodium broth so I can control the salt.
- Rotel – Tomatoes with green chiles to add some heat. You can use just regular tomatoes if you want to keep it mild and more kid friendly.
- Heavy Cream – For the sauce.
- Small Pasta – Like rotini, penne, or farfalle.
- Cheddar-Jack Cheese – I like to use the mixture of jack and cheddar, but either will work.
- Green Onions – for garnish.
How to Make One Pot Cheesy Smoked Sausage Pasta
See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- The steps for this recipe are quick and easy so you can bring it to your dinner table fast. 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 ½ 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.
FAQs
Reheating pasta with a cheesy sauce in the microwave can be tricky. Add a couple of splashes of milk or cream per serving, then heat at 50% power for several minutes, stirring at one minute intervals. This will keep the sauce nice and creamy. There’s nothing worse than a cheese sauce that has become curdled and separated. If your pasta was not stored with a sauce, drizzle on a little olive oil before heating.
This type of sausage has been smoked, which means it’s fully cooked in the process. There is no need to cook it again, but you may want to heat it up.
Smoked sausage is already fully cooked, so you aren’t really cooking it, but warming it up. The best way to do this is in a skillet so you can get some char and caramelization on the sides of the sausage. It adds a ton of flavor and really brings out the juiciness of the smoked sausage.
How To Serve and Variations
We love to serve this sausage pasta with a copycat Olive Garden Salad and maybe some fresh bread on the side.
You could add your favorite veggies to the mix, like mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, or broccoli. Just saute with the onions and let cook fully with the pasta and sausage.
Bring the heat even more by adding some red pepper flakes. Or, use a spicy andouille sausage instead.
Storage and Reheating
Storage – Place leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Freezing – You can freeze this dish, but the cream might break down upon reheating so I don’t really recommend it.
Reheating – Thaw first if frozen. Reheat in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until hot.
Helpful Tips
- If there is still a lot of thin liquid, you can spoon some of that out before adding the cheese. You do need some liquid to create the sauce though, so keep that in mind.
- Green onions are a great garnish, but you could also use fresh parsley.
- Feel free to use whatever pastas you might have on hand, and don’t be afraid to mix and match.
- For an extra savory, salty component, add some bacon.
More Smoked Sausage Recipes
- Sausage & Apple Sheet Pan Dinner
- One Pan Creamy Tortellini and Sausage
- White Bean, Kale & Sausage Soup
- Smoked Sausage and Potatoes Hash
- Smoked Sausage and Potato Sheet Pan Dinner
One Pan Cheesy Smoked Sausage Pasta Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound Smoked Turkey Sausage sliced
- 1 cup diced onion about 1 medium onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic about 2-3 fresh cloves
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes (with or without chiles) (like rotel)
- 1/2 cup milk or heavy cream
- 8 ounces dry pasta like rotini, penne or farfalle
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese
- 1/3 cup sliced scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a 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 (undrained), 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 and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and stir in ½ 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. (You could also broil for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese).
Notes
Nutrition
*Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Simple Recipes Cookbook. For a complete list of recipes on the site, be sure to go here.
I added some shredded cabbage & slightly more liquid because of the cabbage. It was delicious.
Awesome feedback Sharon! Thank you so much for stopping by.
I was looking for a new way to fix the smoked turkey sausage I bought… this was GREAT! The measurements were spot on, the taste was great! I had all the ingredients already in my kitchen. Two things I’ll do different next time: I only had egg noodles- so I’ll try a different pasta, and I’ll try it with just diced tomatoes instead of Rotel. My daughter said it was a little spicy (she’s 8!). But me and the hubs loved it! Thanks for the new meal idea!
Hi Kelly, Thanks for the rave review! Egg noodles probably got a little mushy because they cook much faster than regular pasta. You can definitely use regular diced tomatoes because it is a little spicy with the Rotel.
Made this last night for dinner. it was Delish!! Even my son who doesn’t really like pasta to much absolutely loved this! we made with a side of roasted Brussell sprouts and a salad .. Will be putting this in my go to recipes!
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Jill.
Made this with gluten-free noodles as my daughter doesn’t tolerate the regular wheat pasta. It was easy and delicious, whole family loved it. I think I’ll try the “mild” Rotel next time as it was plenty spicy for our tastes. But I will be making it again. Thanks
You are so welcome Carla! Thanks for stopping by.
I’d LL I’ve to try this recipe but doesn’t give directions of how much of each ingredient to use.
Hi Patrice – you can find the full recipe ingredients and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Just need to scroll down, or you can use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.
I just tried this recipe and it turned out good
I needed a quick meal to fixed and something different so I googled what to do with smoke sausage and this one popped up so I tried it thank a lot I can’t wait until the next family cook out I’ll going to make this and I might add something green to it! Love it
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Janet.
What a great find! I needed something quick, easy, tasty and filling. I’m at home with health issues and I usually get my meals delivered but delivery is in a few days. It’s been a while since I’ve made something for myself. I came across this recipe and I am very pleased with the results. I love the one pan idea. I would’ve made a mess but my dinner was a success with no mess and I have leftovers. Thank you so much.
– Kristen in Ohio
You are so welcome Kristen from Ohio! Thank for the kind words and awesome feedback!
This was so unbelievably easy & good! I added a slurry towards the end to thicken the sauce. 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2teaapooons water.
Love the feedback Amber! Thanks for stopping by.
K.
I started making this when my son was 2-3 years old! He’s 9 now and it’s his favorite meal! He asks for it every week 🥰 Yum!!
That’s so awesome Tosha! Thank you for stopping by.
K.
I always make this with a can of Rotel tomatoes with green chiles – absolutely delicious!!!
Would this worked doubled in a 5qt as well?
Hi Jessie, it fills the 5 quart about 3/4 of the way, so it probably wouldn’t work to double it.
Great family dinner. We have late dinner due to kids sports and this recipe is quick and delicious. I substitute tomatoes and turkey with tomato sauce and Italian sausage. Very yummy and kids love it! Thank you so much for this recipe.
You are so welcome Angie! Thanks for the awesome feedback.
I’ve had this pinned for a long time, but I forgot about it until today. I made it using the cream and Rotel options and it was delicious! I love the little bit of heat the Rotel adds. The one thing I missed was the note about removing some of the liquid, so mine wasn’t as thick as it could have been.
Nice! Thanks for stopping Matt.
Made this keeper today. Very good & it made a lot. Added marojam & basil but followed the recipe beyond that. I used hot rotel & it was spicy. Will use regular diced tomatoes next time.
Fantastic feedback Yvonne! Thanks for stopping by.
I’ve made this recipe so many times! We eat it at least once a month. The first time I made it my husband literally High-fived me! I usually use original Rotel and andoullie sausage for some extra kick! Making it tonight a little less spicy so my 5 year old can eat with us. We love this so much that I have shared the recipe with friends and family!
Awesome feedback Patti! Thank you for passing the love around.
This was sooooo good… I preferred it with out cheese, But Hubby liked it with cheese
Can this recipe be frozen? Would anything be done differently?
I’ve been making this for awhile now. Just love it. Don’t usually leave reviews, but this is delicious.
Love the feedback Mandy! Thank you so much for stopping by.
Our family loves this recipe! I’ve made it around 6 times and it has become a super easy, go-to recipe for us. When I make it I use Italian sausage, basil and oregano seasonings, and some Italian blend cheeses. I also throw in some chopped spinach to add some green and omit the scallions. It tastes AMAZING every time!
Sounds delicious Kristen! Love the awesome feedback. Thanks for stopping by.
I’ve been making this dish every other week for about the last year. Tonight I finally made time to leave a review! When I first found the recipe it was actually my husband that convinced me to try it. I wasn’t sure about the milk and tomatoes, but I’m so glad we tried it. The flavor in this recipe is scrumptious! We, of course, personalize the recipe a bit. I typically double the recipe for lunch the next day (using a large electric skillet) so we do a can of Rotel and a can of regular diced tomatoes to keep the heat down for our little one. My husband just adds crushed red pepper to his for more spice. This recipe is fantastic and I’m so glad to have an easy dish for our regular rotation!
Desiree, Thank you so much for taking the time to share this awesome feedback. We are honored to be in your rotation for the last year.
Thanks for stopping by.
Kristin
I didn’t remember to spoon out the extra liquid so this did turn out with a lot of “soupiness” to it, but honestly it tasted so good, I didn’t mind at all! We just ate it with big spoons 🙂
Awesome feedback Angela! Thanks for stopping by.
Hi, I’m going to make this lovely recipe!
Can you please tell me how many this recipe should feed? Thank you.
Hi Hayley, this recipe will make 4-6 servings. It feeds my family of 5 well.