One Pot Cheesy Sausage Pasta Recipe with Video
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One Pot Sausage Pasta is a family favorite comfort food meal. A creamy, cheesy tomato basil sauce cooks right into the linguine pasta in this amazing Italian sausage pasta recipe! Toss everything in a pot and let it cook. It’s so easy, it just about cooks itself. Now that’s my kind of meal!
One Pot Sausage Pasta
I am constantly on the hunt for quicker and simpler ways to feed my family in a healthier way. 30-minute meals and one pot dinners are big around here.
Even Christmas dinner, which used to be an all-day affair, is now prepared in 30 minutes unless it’s made in a crockpot.
Oh, my heavens. This one pot pasta sausage is the perfect meal. Tomatoes, basil, ooey-gooey cheese, and sausage come together to create the perfect sauce for the linguine.
The best part? You literally toss all of the ingredients in a pot and everything cooks together. Add some fresh herbs and cheese at the end, then serve.
It is so flavorful that Chad and I ate two bowls each. Even Munchkin loved it, and I am sure you will too!
Recipe Video
To see us make pasta with Italian sausage from start to finish, watch the video in this post!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Linguine – You can substitute 1 pound of any dry pasta if needed. Fettucine and spaghetti are great options.
Just cook it to al dente… this Italian phrase means, “with a slight bite to it.” - Sausage – I prefer Italian sausage links, but you can use your favorite. This one pot sausage pasta recipe is truly flexible!
- Veggies – Use a yellow or sweet onion, whichever you have on hand, plus plenty of grape tomatoes.
Cherry tomatoes are a great swap, and a medley will add some extra color! - Fresh Basil – I always have plenty from my garden, but everyone may not have the same access.
You can always toss in baby spinach leaves, then season with dried basil to create a similar flavor. - Liquid – Water works just fine, but using chicken or beef broth will add an immense boost of flavor!
Tips and Tricks to Make Perfect Pasta with Italian Sausage
- Make prep a breeze!
All you need are 2 storage container lids to slice a handful of cherry tomatoes in half in seconds!
Simply place the tomatoes on one lid, then place the other lid on top. The lips should be facing each other.
Press down on one lid to hold everything in place, then run a serrated knife between the lids. Voila!
- Cook fresh sausage links first.
If they are from the deli section of the store (near the lunch meat), then all you have to do is slice them first.
But if your sausages are from the meat counter, there’s an extra step to this recipe! Toss them on the grill or smoker, or cook them in a pan on the stove.
Once they reach an internal temperature of 160-165°F, they’re done. Rest for a few minutes before slicing, then proceed with this Italian sausage pasta recipe.
- Grate a fresh wedge of Parmesan.
Trust me, it makes a HUGE difference in both flavor and texture. Pre-shredded parmesan tends to be waxy and a bit stiff — and please, don’t use the powdered stuff!
Instead, run fresh Parmesan over the smallest holes in your cheese grater (or use a microplane) for tiny, delicate shreds.
These will melt seamlessly into your one pot Italian sausage pasta in seconds, creating the perfect bite!
Prep Ahead
- Slice sausage and veggies
- Remove stems from basil leaves
- Peel and slice garlic cloves
- Shred parmesan cheese
Serving Suggestions
One pot Italian sausage pasta is a wonderful meal on its own, loaded with noodles, meat, and veggies.
Add some garlic bread or breadsticks to round out your plate, or extra roasted veggies to fill you right up!
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- 4 Quart Braising Pan – This is my favorite cookware to use for one-pot meals like this cheesy sausage pasta. The linguine fits completely inside without having to break it in half, so you can put the lid on.
- Tongs – I love this set of 3. I use every pair of them. They are so handy and grip amazingly well!
Storing and Reheating Italian Sausage Pasta
Allow the dish to cool, then transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Cheesy sausage pasta will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Reheat pasta with Italian sausage on the stove over low to medium heat. Add a splash of water or broth for moisture, and stir frequently until evenly warmed.
One Pot Sausage Pasta FAQ
As long as the links are pre-cooked, you do not — that’s the beauty of one pot recipes!
You can, however, brown the sliced sausage in the pot before adding the rest of the ingredients. It adds a few minutes to the overall cooking time but is an easy way to deepen the flavor.
Sure! Bell peppers, mushrooms, and even zucchini would be tasty additions.
Just keep in mind that veggies cook at different rates, so you may need to toss them in halfway through cooking one pot sausage pasta instead of at the beginning.
This one pot Italian sausage pasta isn’t overly saucy, but there’s an easy fix for that!
Add a little extra liquid at the beginning so it’s nice and hot but not fully absorbed at the end. Then, toss in a few tablespoons of cream cheese and toss until melted.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other One Pot Pasta Recipes
One Pot Cheesy Sausage Pasta Recipe with Video
Equipment
- dutch oven or other 6-8 quart pot
Ingredients
- 3 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half and divided
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 pound smoked Italian sausage links, precooked and sliced into coins
- 20-30 basil leaves, divided
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 pound dry linguine, (See Notes)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 4 1/2 cups water, or beef or chicken broth
- 1 cup fresh shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Set aside 1 cup halved tomatoes, 10 basil leaves, and all of the Parmesan cheese.
- Combine remaining ingredients in a 12-inch braising pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, remove the cover and cook 7-9 minutes, or until pasta is al dente (with a bite to it). Toss pasta with tongs occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking. The liquid will be mostly absorbed when pasta is finished cooking.
- Add cheese and toss to combine. Cheese may clump at first, but will melt into the sauce after a few minutes. Toss in remaining tomatoes and basil before serving.
Video
Donna’s Notes
- Use your favorite sausage. I prefer Italian sausage links.
- You can substitute 1 pound of any type of dry pasta for the spaghetti. Linguine and fettucine are great options. Just be sure to cook the pasta to al dente (meaning, with a slight bite to it).
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published March 2014. Updated and republished January 2024
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I bet the flavor is off the charts awesome! Making this for dinner tonight 🙂
I bet the flavor is off the charts! Making this for dinner tonight 🙂
Enjoy and let us know how it goes!
Made this recipe tonight – EASY – TASTY ! Followed the recipe with the exception of used bow-tie pasta. My Italian man loved it as did my granddaughter !
Awesome! So happy it was a hit. Truly any pasta and any cooked sausage work, so playing around to make your own fav is a lot of fun.
I've made this recipe twice already and love it. The only precooked italian sausage I could find at my local grover store was chicken sausage but it works great. A few changes I've made was subbing 1.5 cups of the water for chicken broth and I also add a tablespoon of butter and a little bit of white wine.
Brian, I love your version. I am going to try the wine and chicken broth next time. Thanks for the tips!
Followed recipe but added fresh spinach. It was wonderful! Hubs loved it!
That sounds fabulous Dotty! So happy y'all loved it.
can you use kielbasa?
This is one of our favorites!! Thank you!!
Made this tonight let me say YUM! My 3 and 1 year old ate it all up!!
Made this tonight, hubby went back for more!
will make again, but add cheese individually, was a tough clean-up.
very yummy
Looks like kidney beans in the pot but never saw them in the write up…did I miss something?
I believe those are just the grape tomatoes.
Anonymous might had thought was white kidney beans was the cloves of garlic that is pictured.
I saw this recipe a couple of months ago and thought I would give it a try. My kids love it. I made it for the 3rd time yesterday and now I'm wondering why I've been wasting all that time rolling meatballs and letting that sauce simmer for hours. I added a can of tomato sauce and some Italian herbs to it yesterday. No matter how you change it up, it comes out perfect every time.
I made this last night and it was awesome!!! would not change a thing. Thanks for the great recipe!
I would love to know what stock pot you use in making these dishes…I am looking to purchase ! Thanking you in advance for all these great recipes , can't wait to fix these…I am definitely purchasing these pots… Linda Inglett Sav Ga.
Today I tried it without parmesan, and I used regular sausage instead of Italian. I fried the onions, the sausages, garlic and cherry tomatos a little before adding them to the pasta. Everyone loved it. Thanks for the recipe. Greetings from Turkey.
Yes! I did it followed the exact directions and it was a success! Not to mention super delicious. Made me look like a pro 😉
SUCCESS! I made this for a bunch of friends and family and they just loved my cooking. Awesome!
I make this often its amazing!!
Thawing italian sweet sausage for dinner and this looks like it could work with that can't wait
Does this work with gluten free pasta?
Yes it does. Just make sure the pasta is cooked and you are good.
This might be a dumb question, but what's a braising pot? I have just a regular old big pot for cooking in. Will that work?
This is the braising pot I use. http://amzn.to/228Fwrw
It is basically a more shallow dutch oven. Which of course a Dutch oven or any big ol' pot will work just fine. Enjoy and let us know how it goes.
This was AMAZING! This will be a go-to dinner for us. I can't wait to try the other one-pot meals. I used my dutch oven. I browned the garlic, onions and sausage in some olive oil. I deglazed the pan with 2 cups of red wine. The rest of the liquid was tomato paste in water. Next time I think I will use another onion and A LOT more garlic and basil.
Thank you again!
That sounds phenomenal MichelleMyBelle! I am so happy you loved it.
If you half the recipe, would you half the water for the pasta?
Absolutely. But use your best judgement too. Once it is cooked the pasta should be loose (there should be some sauce in the pan). If it is dry, add a splash of water to the pan before you add your Parmesan.
I printed out the recipe to make next week but only wish you had included your 'notes' in printable version of the recipe. Would had been nice to have your notes included.
Hi Colleen, thank you for letting me know. I updated the printable with those notes. Enjoy and let me know how it goes!
Thank you for the updated printable version and so very grateful you showed the recipe once again as I had misplaced my first print out of the recipe.
By the way this stuff was Delicious.
No matter what recipe that calls for pasta; I Always will cook the pasta in veggie, chicken, or beef broth or stock. The stock is never wasted cause once it cools I put in container and place in freezer for next time around when it comes to cooking pasta.
Some of these older recipes are usually the best and this is one of the Best. Hubby loves it as well as the grandkids.
I made this and your one pot chicken recipes this week for my very Italian boyfriend who usually does all of the cooking. He was very doubtful that either would turn out edible but he ate his words. He went back for seconds and thirds and we could not believe how delicious and flavorful it was for being so easy and quick to make. Great recipe!
I have to try it asap! That good it looks!