One Pot Pasta with Sausage Meatballs
This one-pot sausage pasta is loaded with tender meatballs and pasta that cooks in a homemade tomato sauce. It's easy to make and requires just one pot.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound good-quality thin beef or pork sausages, cut into 3/4-inch (18-mm) pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 medium celery stalk, finely diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- One (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups store-bought or homemade low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 10 ounces penne, ziti, or rigatoni
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, such as Colby, Jack, or mozzarella
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped Italian parsley, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage pieces and cook, stirring regularly, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a bowl.
- Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the saucepan, then return it to the stove. Stir in the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, bay leaf, and rosemary, and cook until the onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, broth, and water, and season with the salt and pepper. Stir in the pasta and meatballs and bring it to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer, then cover and cook, stirring regularly, until the pasta is al dente, 18 to 20 minutes.
☞ TESTER TIP: It's really important to stir the pasta every few minutes, or it may stick to the bottom of your pan.
- Remove the lid, discard the bay leaf, and stir the pasta vigorously for 10 seconds. It will still be quite saucy at this point.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the pasta. Cover and let it rest until the cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately, sprinkled with parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Cutting the sausage--To speed things up, use kitchen shears to snip your sausages into mini meatballs.
- Skip the pre-shredded cheese--It doesn't melt well. Grate the cheese yourself for best results.
- Storage and reheating--Leftover one-pot sausage pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat until warmed through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1portion | Calories: 882kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 2235mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 15g