My absolute favorite dinners are the easy weeknight kind. The kind that can be whipped up in thirty minutes or less from start to finish and only mess up one dish. And of course, they need to knock-my-socks-off with flavor as well! I am so in love with this spicy, creamy, cheesy pasta for all of those reasons. It is just packed with so many incredible flavors. It’s one of our new favorites — I make it all the time because it’s so yummy and easy!
This amazing little pasta dish is one of my favorite recipes from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Best Simple Recipes from America’s Test Kitchens. It’s filled with over 200 recipes for quick and easy dinners that can be ready in thirty minutes or less. Perfect. I’ve gotten so many new dinner recipes for us from this cookbook. And since it’s from America’s Test Kitchens, you know that every single recipe is tried, true, and to-die-for. They even conduct blind taste-testings and tell you what brand of whatever ingredient they’re using is the best. I love stuff like that.
So let me tell you about this pasta dish. It basically completes me. Take a look at all these yummy ingredients. Nothing too out of the ordinary here.
First things first — the sausage. I am a huge fan of smoked sausage, and I am completely, head over heels, bowled over by this Butterball Turkey Sausage. There’s no way that this is turkey sausage. There’s no way it has half the calories and fat of regular smoked sausage. There’s no way. Because it tastes just like regular smoked sausage — the full-fat, full-calorie kind that I used to buy all the time. I just don’t see how it’s possible that this sausage can have all the yummy, juicy flavors of regular smoked sausage with only half the fat and calories. But it only took one bite to convince me. We’ve been buying this turkey sausage exclusively for a few months now, and I will never go back to regular smoked sausage again. You guys know since I tend to go a little crazy when I’m traveling, I like to cut back on the fat and calories when I’m home! But flavor absolutely comes first. I love that I can have both with this sausage.
So first, add a little olive oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.
Add the sausage.
And the onions.
Here’s my little secret. I buy frozen, diced onions by the bag and add them to whatever I’m cooking that calls for diced onions — I don’t even thaw them first. It’s such a huge time saver for me, and I always know I have onions on hand.
Oh my gosh. Nothing smells more fabulous that this right here. Cook the sausage and onion until lightly browned. Then we’ll add some garlic and cook until fragrant, about thirty seconds.
Next add the dried pasta — this is so easy! — I love that I don’t have to boil the pasta in a separate pan. I normally use penne pasta for this dish, but this fun campanelle pasta was all I had on hand at the moment, so I used it.
Dump in some Ro-Tel, you don’t even have to drain it first.
And the chicken broth.
This is another brand that I love. We use chicken broth so often that I always have a few boxes on hand — an open one in the fridge and a few in the pantry. I about fainted when I tried this one for the first time. It smells so amazing! I stumbled upon this organic brand because, well, in an effort to cut back on my sugar intake, I discovered that the brand I was previously using was full of sugar! Sugar!! Like, it was the second ingredient. In my chicken broth! Now I love sugar, but it has no place in chicken broth. It’s funny how much sugar is hidden in foods that aren’t sweet, especially when I went looking for it. Yikes! Anyway, as much as I loved my old brand of chicken broth, I can honestly say I love this new one so much more. It’s nothing but pure, natural flavors — exactly how chicken broth is supposed to be. I get this in the organic section of Kroger.
Add the cream and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Stir everything together and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and and simmer for 15 minutes.
Now for the finishing, cheesy touch. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
Top with a little more cheese to cover, sprinkle with sliced scallions, and broil in the oven until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 3 minutes.
Like this.
Oh my gosh you guys, this is so fabulous. Ultra cheesy. Ultra gooey. Ultra yummy.
Dig in! :)
Spicy Sausage Pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb smoked sausage
1.5 cups diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chiles, Mild
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz penne pasta
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, each
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions
1. Add olive oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with scallions. Broil until cheese is melted, spotty brown, and bubbly.
Makes 4 servings. Nutritional Information for this recipe can be found at CalorieCount.com.
Make for: Dinner / Main Dish
Tags: 30 Minutes or Less, cheese, Quick and Easy, sausage
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204 Comments
Thanks for another scrumptious-looking recipe! Can’t wait to try it! :)
Oh My!
This is the first thing I’ve read with the morning coffee.
Now thinking to make it for breakfast.
Who’s gonna wait till the evening :)
Thanks for the recipe.
Nika
simple and delicious :)
xoxo
yummy!!! this looks so appetizing even though I am a vegetarian :)
why not use some kind of soy sausage?
Superb dish, i’ll going to make this in dinner tonight !!
I was just reading an interview on another blog about one of the gurus over at America’s Test Kitchens. Love them and how thorough they test everything and their recipes are a guaranteed success, no matter what. Love that.
Sausage pasta is one of my boyfriend’s favourite dishes, I will definitely have to try this version!
Oh my goodness, Amanda! This looks SO good! What a creamy and delicious way to whip up a quick weeknight meal! P.S. I’m loving those noodles. :D
That looks delicious!
Thanks for sharing!
First off, totally pinned this…looks so amazing! Also, I think I NEED that cookbook! All your bookmarks crack me up!
I never eat sausage…. but I love this idea!
I too love turkey sausage and its all I ever buy. Cannot notice a difference. Don’t think we have gotten the butterball kind..looks delish! This is a great, easy, quick dish which I will be trying SOON!! Hubby loves egg noodles…I think it would be good with those too! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
YUM! Looks amazing!
I LOVE recipes that are specifically tailored for weeknight cooking – especially ones that can be easily memorized so you can whip it together last minute without having to think too much.
I think too much as it is, and sometimes dinner is better when less brain power is required. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve got 2 big ol’ chicken apple sausages left so this is definitely on the menu!
Looks scrumptious!! Must try this ASAP! Thanks! =)
That looks delicious! I must try it and check out that cookbook. :)
OMG this looks good. I may just have to have this on my “cheat” night! YUM!
Ohhhhhh my word. Meals like this make me DANCE.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe! I can not wait to try it, I just know the hubby is going to love it!
Gonna have to put this on the menu. That’s soooo easy, right up my alley. And I think my kids will eat it.
i’ll take an ultra yummy dinner any day :) this looks amazing!
Oh yes please! Love that you used turkey sausage too. I might have to snag that cookbook. Looks like a great recipe.
Looks so easy! Can I skip the cream though? I’m gonna try it without the cream and non-fat cheese. =)
Thanks for sharing!
P.S. Love the pics too. =)
Shenna
Try non-fat evaporated milk instead of the cream. Low fat and less calories but does the same thing.
Sausage, pasta and Cheese Hello Yummy, thanks You make everything Look wonderful and Simple Thanks Amanda
I’m putting together a bunch of recipes and some monogrammed baking dishes for my nephew’s new bride… this one sounded so good {and easy for a new cook} that I just had to whip up a recipe card for her! Thanks for the yummy idea!
Looks amazing! Definitely will have to try it. How spicy is it though? Will I need to make something else for the kids?
Hi Melissa! All the spice comes from the Ro-Tel. We buy the mild version, so it’s not too spicy, but if you’re unsure, you can always just use petite diced tomatoes — no spice at all. :)
Even mild Rotel seems to be too hot for me and my family. For this recipe I used 1 1/2 cups DelMonte diced tomatoes with green chilies and even that had a little kick, but it was so delicious! I used half the amount of pepper, so that helped too. Very delicious!
Hi, here in Mexico dont have the RO-TEL thing, what do i add to substitute the whole tomato-chilie, spices thing?? thank you soo muchhh looks deliciousss
Ro-Tel is just diced tomatoes and green chiles, nothing more to see here! :)
Wow! Sugar in chicken broth? I’ll be honest, I’ve never thought to check. Plan on looking at my favorite brand to see if it contains sugar and will try a different brand if it does. I really need to get in the habit of label reading!
It’s so worth it to read the labels! I’m glad to know about this brand. I usually make my own after I roast a chicken, but it’s nice to have a box in the pantry in case I run out.
This recipe looks so delicious! I can’t wait to try it this week. I have a feeling it will be on my Pinterest Success board!
Okkk thank youuu ill try it!!!
I love your recipes! This one looks great and we have turkey sausage all the time. And I’ll be checking my chicken broth ingredients :). But, I checked the nutritional info and it shows the sodium at 1788mg (75% of DV)! Where is all this sodium coming from? The turkey sausage?
Jackie – I’ve found that most turkey sausage is high in sodium. Any time I cook with it, I always boil for a few minutes to remove some of the salt and fat (you should see the water afterwards) then continue with the recipe as usual. Hope that helps.
Amanda – Thanks for sharing this today as it was the fam’s dinner tonight. Huge hit … great flavor … just the right amount of spice … very filling … overall fabulous!
Jackie – The cup of cheese adds a lot of sodium, in addition to the sausage. Some brands are now carrying low-sodium cheese. You should see if your local grocery store carries one. Also, it would help to omit that 1/2 teaspoon of salt and instead just add a few shakes with the salt shaker.
Thanks for posting! I tried this & it was super easy & good! :) And I’m a terrible cook! You’ve inspired me to buy that cookbook as well. Thank you & I’m sharing on my blog! :)
This looks so easy and so delicious – love the combination of flavors and colors… I am featuring this post in today’s Friday Food Fetish roundup (with a link-back and attribution), but please let me know if you have any objections. It’s a pleasure to be following your creations…
Thanks for the recipe Amanda – it was in fast last night’s meal. All my husband kept saying was how great it was. Thanks again!!
Wow! That looks gorgeous! Sausage, cheese, and pasta sound like amazing comfort food.
Amanda – can’t wait to try this! This is very similar to your Cheesburger Macaroni which is a weekly staple in our house. I’m going to make that (or this) for a family that just had a baby. Love the simple ingredients and one-pot meals! And I agree about the turkey sausage – frankly I prefer it over the full-fat stuff.
Amanda, this looks fantastic! Gotta try it and very happy it uses turkey sausage. Now I want that cookbook, too, darnit!
Can you make it without the cream? Milk instead?
Amanda,
I made this dish for my boyfriend the other night and he loved it! Went back for thirds I think. Thanks for sharing great recipes :)
Tried it today and it was a hit! I love this site! Thanks for the recipes.
Just wanted to thank you for your recipes! This has become another favorite in my house…in addition to the breafast casserole, cheeseburger flatbreads, and many others:) Thank you!
I made this last night and it was a hit with the husband and I. My 3 year old on the other hand, wanted “the one in your computer mummy!” (meaning yours!!) lol
This will definitely be added to our dinner rotation, thanks for another great recipe!
made this last night and it was great. i’m not a huge fan of that kind of sausage so i think next time i’ll try it with some shrimp, or even chicken. nothing is better than the one-pan dinners. thanks amanda!
Amanda, I made this on Sunday and we all loved it–even my 3 year old! :) I’m due with our second baby in 5 weeks and was wondering if I could make this into a “freezer meal”? Maybe just prep it all, top it with the cheese and onions and then freeze? Then let thaw in the fridge and pop in the oven to heat through and melt the cheese? Whadda ya think!
I was wondering the same thing! I always cook my noodles only about half the time if freezing. Was wondering if you tried to freeze it and how it turned out if so!
The hubby and I made this last night – delish! We made a couple of healthy substitutes – used reduced fat monterey jack cheese and subbed the cream for fat-free half and half. Worked great & still tasted rich!
You’ve done it again, Kevin and Amanda! So flavorful and delicious, and EASY! My son made this for our dinner last night. We both loved it. Will definitely make again.
I always find the greatest recipes on your blog. Thank you!!
This was delicious and do easy. I am always hesitate to try something new because my husband and daughter are picky, but they both loved it. Thank you so much for sharing. I’m wondering what it would taste like it you substituted the sausage with chicken?
I made this for dinner tonight and it was AMAZING! Absolutely perfectly. I followed the recipe to the letter (even the frozen diced onions….brilliant!) with the only change being that I used half and half instead of cream, because it’s what I had on hand. I will definitely be making this again! Every single recipe I’ve tried from your blog has been a hit. Keep it up!
Did it turn out ok with the half and half? Just trying to cut some calories!
I made this for dinner 4 nights ago and it was yummy!! I doubled the recipe and my cheese of choice was mix of Swiss and Gruyère. I also added 4 more cloves of garlic as we love garlic in my house…..Amazing! Sent a picture to my friends and one of them made it the following night! Thanks!!
Very Good!!! I made this tonight for dinner and was blown away by the flavor & the ease of the recipe. I will be making this again :) Thanks!
Making this for dinner tonight — looks so yummy!
WONDERFUL!!!!! made this tonight! I love it…kids love it! YUMMY!!!
Made this tonight. I left out the sausage as we had steaks for the main meat. It was great! My husband really loved it!
Yum! We had this tonight and loved it! We topped it with a pile of lightly sauteed zucchini which was really good mixed in with it.
I just made this tonight and it was delicious! My sauce was a bit on the runny side though. Didn’t look quite the same as yours. I wonder if I should use just a bit less chicken broth next time…
I made it tonight, and mine was kind of runny as well. I’m thinking also that next time I’ll use less chicken broth, maybe only 1 1/2 cups, or even a little less than that.
Thanks for the recipe, it was amazing!!
I tried this tonight, and it was wonderful! A little bit of a kick but nothing extreme (and I’m a baby when it comes to hot foods). I’ll definitely be making this again – thanks for sharing it!
Just made this for dinner tonight, yum! Husband went back for seconds. Thanks!
I just made this and it was excellent. I actually grilled the turkey sausage yesterday. Then this morning I completed all the steps up through simmering. Then I poured it in a Pyrex dish and put in fridge until I got home from work. Then t covered in foil and heated in oven for 20 minutes. Then took off foil topped with cheese and scallions and then broiled it. Great make ahead recipe.
I just made this and it was excellent. I actually grilled the turkey sausage yesterday. Then this morning I completed all the steps up through simmering. Then I poured it in a Pyrex dish and put in fridge until I got home from work. Then t covered in foil and heated in oven for 20 minutes. Then took off foil topped with cheese and scallions and then broiled it. Great make ahead recipe.
Fool proof and delish!
I had my husband make this tonight since I was coaching soccer. He said it was easy to make and ALL my kids had 2nd and 3rd helpings (ages 6,7 & 10). I’m shocked that they all loved it – noodles and sausage. Especially since I didn’t buy the mild Ro-Tel tomatoes which I will buy next time.
Thanks!
Heather
Ohhh my, I made this tonight and it was sooooo delicious! My husband and his friends were ranting and raving. I have a home full of full and happy Marines. Thanks for posting the recipe!! =)
I just made this and it was AMAZING! By far my favorite thing I have ever made. Thank you for sharing these. I shared it with some people too. We loved it!
made this tonight for my One New Dinner A Week challenge for 2012 + it turned out great! both hubs + i loved it. =) I added sautéed zucchini to add some veggies, + swapped the heavy cream for milk to healthify it a bit. delicious!
Thank you for posting this recipe- I found it on Pinterest. My husband and I loved it and will be making it again. Thank you also for introducing me to frozen chopped onions; I had no idea they existed, what a time saver!
Another great recipe! Mine turned out a slight bit runny, but I will add a little more pasta next time or reduce the chicken broth.
I’ve made this 4 or 5 times already and I can’t get enough of it. It’s the perfect solution for when I’m feeling lazy. One pot meals are my favourite Monday night dinners!
yes what would your recommendations be for freezing it? I LOVED this and it appears to be a good possibility for freezing…just not sure what step to stop the cooking….the simmering or the broiling? Or simmer all the way, stir in cheese, dethaw, cook covered for a bit then broil? Next time I will use the mild rotel as it was bit too much for me…but my hubby will think it’s nothing with spices.
Delicious! I’ve been adding a can of quartered artichoke hearts as well – I’ve made it four times in two weeks!
Oh my goodness! I came across your blog through Pinterest and I just about bookmarked every recipe! I made this one tonight but with veggie sausages, added some zucchini and bell peppers and used low-fat dairy. Still out of this world!
Oh my goodness, this dish is wonderful! My husband and I loved it so much…I will be making it again soon. Thanks for sharing!!!
Just add Porccini mushroom. is dinner of gods!!!
Made this for dinner tonight & it was insanely DELICIOUS; everyone loved it :) Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. This one is definitely a keeper!!
This is so delicious! We have been making this for a little while now (tonight was our fourth time!) We just love it! Had to share tonight I added fresh (from the garden) squash, zucchni, and jalapeno! Oh, my it was the best ever. Thank you for sharing such a simple and Wonderful receipe!!!
As the previous commenters noted, this meal is just delicious. It tasted like pure comfort food! Pretty sure my family will be requesting I make it again…this week!
I made this for my family and they all loved it! Baking it helped the thinness of the liquid, mine wasn’t runny at all! I did use two cups of cheese instead of one, though. Amazing! Thank you!
I substituted the turkey sausage with regular Eckridge stuffed with jalapeño and cheddar. My husband looooves spicy meals and he raved about this one! I’ll definitely be making this again. Thanks for posting.
Hi Kevin and Amanda, I am a subbie of You Tube’s Mizfachion who sent me to your website. A couple of days ago she did your Spicy Sausage Pasta receipe. She took us thru it step by step making it look soooooo easy and so so GOOD, and the part I liked about it was that it didn’t take long to cook. I will definitely try this receipe!!!!!!
Made this last night, very tasty, I am thinking next time i want to add shrimp to the dish as well. Yummy Yum, thanks for the great recipe!
this is the 3rd time making this dish. I have played with it a bit, but not too much. I stayed true to the recipe the first time, but on the second I used sharp cheddar cheese and I’m using penne pasta. My daughter LOVES it. She went home and made her own. I like it better with the cheddar, tastier. Thank you and America’s Test Kitchen (I subscribe to Cooks Illustrated-great cooking reference). And LOVE the one pot meal-I don’t like to cook for just myself n make a big mess.
I’ve made this several times and i my husband loves it! We like things spicy so I use the Rotel Hot. So easy and so flavorful! America’s Test Kitchen really scored on this one, thanks for sharing. I love your blog! You guys are too cute :)
About how long does this take to cook from start to finish?
Thanks!
I made this tonight for company and it was a HUGE hit! Thank you for this quick, easy and delicious recipe!
C’mon…not Conecuh sausage? Well, I might try this, but I have a freezer full of Conecuh we imported straight from the smokehouse the last time I was in Alabama (we now live in Northern Virginia). War Eagle. Class of ’82.
Just made this now and it was amazing!!! Thanks for an awesome recipe, going to check out your other recipes!
First off, let me say I found this recipe on Pinterest and have made it SO many times because it is delicious!
I have a couple tweaks I would recommend because I’ve made it so many times:
1. Use more pasta than it calls for. The meat to pasta ratio is out of control, for me personally. I love more meat in these types of dishes, but I like to have a little pasta with my meat, lol! It is too much (for me) without more pasta!
2. If you like spicy (like me) use regular Ro-Tel (not mild) and for a good extra kick use just a pinch of red pepper flakes.
3. Do NOT use the oil to sautee the onions & sausage unless you are using turkey sausage. I use smoked beef sausage, and even leaving the oil out I actually drain off almost all the oil before adding the garlic & proceeding with the recipe. I basically reserve probably about a little less than a Tbsp.
This looks delicious. I plan to make it this weekend. I have to use regular smoked sausage as it is what I have on hand. Glad to know the turkey one is good. I will buy it next time.
I whipped this wonderful dish up on a busy Friday night. Our family and dinner guests looooved it. It is already been requested as a mid week birthday dinner by my somewhat picky teen daughter! I used the fat Italian links by Johnsonville and it had the right amount of kick and sweet tang. I added more pasta and it was perfect. Loving not having to prep the pasta ahead of time. While it was all cooking, I made the Banana Cream with PB and Chocolate Ice Cream. That was a huge hit too. Yum all the way around!
I just wanted to tell you that I fixed this last night. Besides the fact that I used HOT rotel with my hot sausage and made it too hot, it was delish. I thought I was at Macaroni Grill or Olive Garden. Just don’t use the rotel with the habanero peppers and you will love this dish. It is definitely a keeper. Thank you so much.
This was very easy and the taste was great, however, I must have done something wrong because it was very runny. It will probably be perfect for leftovers but it was a little soupy. But I will put it in the rotation and make again.
I am definitely going to have to make this.
I made this for dinner tonight. Turned out perfect! I don’t like cheese so I took mine out of the pan before adding the cheese and broiling. This is going into our regular dinner rotation. So easy and delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
I made this dish tonight for supper. Though it may appear tastier then it really is, it is indeed as simple as they say. I may try making a variation of this again, but probably not the exact same.
This was really delicious and I love that the nutritional information is provided as well. Can’t wait to make this again!
This pasta dish is so delicious. I’ve made it 3 times in the last few months. The only change I made this last time was using 2% milk instead of cream and it is still just as creamy plus dropping a few calories. Thanks for such a yummy and EASY recipe!
Found this through Pinterest. Excellent recipe! I followed your recipe almost exactly. I realized I didn’t have any RoTel on hand so I used a can of petite diced tomatoes and chopped up some jalapenos and a dash of cayenne. I also “girled it up” a bit and added a handful of frozen peas at the end. This was very good! Definitely one I’ll use again frequently.
I have the same cookbook & mine has the flags all over it just like yours! Great minds…The recipes are so simple & yummy. A very wise investment. :-)
This looks sooo good, can’t wait to try this week! Thanks so much for sharing!
Made this last night for my large and ” difficult to please everyone” family. It was a big hit ! SCORE ! easy, yummy and quick. I did add extra cheese on top. Thank you !
My family loved it! And, my husband is extra hard to please. Added a little corn to the recipe and kept everything else the same.