Stop everything and listen closely. I’ve been making new recipes every week for over seven years and can honestly say this One Pot Sausage and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta is one of the best things I’ve ever made. I fully intend to make a second batch tomorrow, or whatever day my leftovers run out. Hopefully that’s not before tomorrow, but I’m not making any promises.
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Why I Love this One Pot Pasta
Why is this pasta so great? Well, I was able to use a bunch of things that I already have in my pantry, freezer, and fridge. In fact, the only thing I bought for this was the sausage, and that’s something I often DO have in my freezer (because I usually use half pound at a time). In other words, this is a GREAT last-minute “pantry” dinner.
Second, because it’s “one pot” style, there’s barely any clean up and a LOT of flavor. Not one drop of goodness is lost because everything cooks together. And lastly, it’s a very well rounded meal. Vegetables, pasta, meat, it’s all there! #win
Tips for One Pot Pasta Success
Some people find this “one pot” style of cooking pasta a little tricky, so let me give you a few pointers.
- You need to use a thick bottomed pot or skillet so that it heats evenly.
- The amount of water or broth you will need will vary with the size and shape of pasta that you use. As you near the end of the cooking time, take note of the amount of liquid in the bottom of the skillet. If there is still a lot of liquid, let it simmer for the last 2-3 minutes without the lid to allow for evaporation (don’t drain it). If the liquid all gets absorbed before the pasta is tender, simply add a little water.
- Make sure the heat under the skillet is set to the lowest temperature that maintains a steady simmer in the broth. If it stops simmering it will not cook the pasta. If it boils or simmers too hard the whole time it can dry up and the bottom can scorch. Feel it out. It gets easier every time, just like riding a bike.
You ready for this?
This shape of pasta is called campanelle. So pretty, right??
One Pot Sausage and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
Servings 4Ingredients
- 8 oz sweet Italian sausage ($2.00)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.13)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
- 1/2 lb frozen broccoli florets ($0.85)
- 2 cups chicken broth* ($0.28)
- 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes ($1.00)
- 8 oz pasta (any small shape**) ($0.80)
- Pinch of red pepper (optional) ($0.02)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan ($0.41)
Instructions
- Add the olive oil and sausage to the skillet and cook over medium heat until browned. If using links, cook them until browned on the outside and firm enough to slice, then slice into medallions, return to the skillet, and brown on both sides. Transfer the cooked sausage to a clean bowl and drain off all but about 1 Tbsp fat from the skillet.
- Add the minced garlic and frozen broccoli florets to the skillet. Sauté over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, or just until the broccoli is bright green and no longer frozen. Transfer the broccoli florets to the bowl with the sausage.
- Add the chicken broth to the skillet and stir or whisk to dissolve the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. Slice the sun dried tomatoes into strips and add them to the broth with the pasta and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Stir, place a lid on top, and turn the heat up to medium high. When the broth begins to boil, give the skillet a quick stir, replace the lid, and turn the heat down to low or just above low so that the broth maintains a simmer.
- Simmer the pasta and sun dried tomatoes for about 7 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, or until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. If the pasta becomes tender before all the broth has been absorbed, simply let it simmer for the last couple of minutes without the lid.
- Once the pasta is tender and only a small amount of thickened liquid remains in the bottom of the skillet, add the cooked sausage and broccoli back to the pasta. Stir to combine and sprinkle the grated Parmesan over top. Serve immediately.
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Sausage One Pot Pasta – Step by Step Photos
Begin by browning 1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage in a skillet with 1 Tbsp olive oil, over medium heat. You can use ground sausage or links. If using links, brown them whole until they are firm enough to slice, then slice into medallions, return them to the skillet, and brown them on both sides. Once the sausage is browned and cooked through, transfer it to a clean bowl and drain off all but about 1 Tbsp of the fat from the skillet.
Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and 1/2 lb. frozen broccoli florets to the skillet. Continue to sauté over medium until the broccoli is bright green and no longer frozen (3-5 minutes, do not over cook). Transfer the broccoli to the bowl with the sausage.
Next, add 2 cups chicken broth to the skillet and stir or whisk it to dissolve the browned bits off the bottom. Add 8oz. dry pasta (any small-ish shape), about 1/3 cup sliced sun dried tomatoes, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional). Stir everything together, place a lid on the skillet, and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the broth to come up to a boil, then give it a quick stir, replace the lid, and turn the heat down to low or just above low (the lowest temperature needed to maintain a simmer).
Stir the pasta every couple of minutes, replacing the lid quickly each time to maintain the simmer, until the pasta is tender (about 7 minutes). If there is still too much liquid when the pasta is tender, let it simmer for a minute or two without the lid.
There should be SOME thickened liquid in the bottom of the skillet. This is concentrated flavor that will coat the sausage and broccoli once they’re added back in.
Finally, stir the cooked sausage and broccoli back into the simmered pasta. You can either sprinkle the Parmesan over the pasta in the skillet and stir it all together, or sprinkle a tablespoon or so over each bowl.
And that’s all it takes to make some of the most amazing pasta you’ve ever had in your life.
Seriously. 🤤
I made this tonight for the fifty millionth time. My picky kids love it and I visit this page for this recipe so much that I decided to finally comment! I have started subbing half chickpea pasta in the same shape as whatever pasta I’m using that night and it still turns out wonderfully. I probably have to add more broth because of that but I can eyeball it at this point because that’s how often I make this :)
What brand sausage did you use?
I don’t recall, but I usually buy either Johnsonville or the store brand of whatever store I happen to be shopping that day. :)
Another delicious dish! It’s hard to cook for my son-in-law, but this dish has everything he loves! Thank you !
Delicious! To make it vegetarian I subbed in some vegan Italian sausage and the no chicken broth from Better than Bouillon and it worked great!
Another great recipe and super affordable! I added extra broccoli and cheese to stretch it even further. Thank you for this post!
Great additions Ellen!
Our pasta was way under done and the sun dried tomatoes mostly stuck to the bottom of the pan. I think the amount of broth needs to cover the pasta to cook it evenly, so I’d recommend adjusting accordingly. The liquid will cook off… I typically LOVE Budget Byte recipes and have no trouble with my husband getting things started when I’m stuck at the office, but this was just meh.
Did you by chance cook your pasta with the lid off? You need to cover it so the water doesn’t evaporate and the top can get some steam.
I was so excited to come across this site and couldn’t wait to try this! Though the shopping cart ended up costing a little more than what was listed, I’m guessing its due to region and cost of living (I live in the the SF Bay Area which happens to be quite pricey). The recipe acted as a great base to build on. I added more salt, pepper, fennel seeds and fresh sage from my yard and it came out pretty tasty. This will be added to my recipe fie for a nice, quick and easy family meal.
I make this at least once a month for my picky family and everyone loves it. My suggestion is to make sure you cook the frozen broccoli all the way before finishing recipe as it can be a little crunchy if you only do until it no longer looks frozen. Taste a piece before you move on.
i’ve made this recipe at least 10 times now. We love it! Sausage is the best part and we’ve gotten comfortable with getting creative and nearly completely straying recipe course. But I always come back to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything.
I’ve recently done red pepper and sweet onion that I throw in before the broccoli and garlic. YUM.
This time I found some fuesili pasta from Trader Joe’s. I think it was quinoa and brown rice? Weird but shockingly good because this recipe is SOLID Beth. Nice job!!!
SO GOOD!!!! Thank you thank you thank you
This turned out phenomenal! I followed the recipe 100%, just doubled it. We make enough for leftovers and then eat the same thing for lunch all week, to cut down on cooking and save money in the food dept. hot and fresh it is delicious! I’m concerned it may turn out a little dry after being chilled and reheated, but hopefully not. This is one I’ll be printing out and keeping in my collection!
This was just okay for me. I think I would have preferred shrimp over sausage as the strong flavors of the sausage and tomato made a pungent flavor. The flavor was good it was just so strong and specific that it became too much. I also would have liked an actual sauce with it, maybe next time I’ll add in some tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. This time around I just added a ton more shredded parmesan to make it a very cheesy pasta.
Hopefully this doesn’t take me too far into “that guy who changed half the recipe and left a review anyway”. I totally misremembered, and actually had jarred red pepper instead of sundried tomatoes to use up. By the time I realized, I was already cooking the sausage, so I went ahead and used them, adding a big squirt of tomato paste to try to add a little sweetness. It’s hard to say how much the peppers added – they kind of dissolved when the pasta was cooking – but it was still delicious! I also added a little red wine vinegar for additional acidity.
Ha! I actually like it when people comment with the modifications that they make! :D I think it helps people learn how to be flexible with what they have in their kitchen. What’s not cool is when the recipe then doesn’t turn out and they rate my recipe low because of it. Hahah!
One of my favorite recipes, I make this at least once a week! I would recommend that if you choose to use macaroni as your pasta to add 25% more liquid than the recipe calls for :)
I was sceptical about cooking the pasta this way (without a huge pot of water) but followed the recipe perfectly and it turned out great. Added bell pepper with the broccoli (should have sautéed this 2 minutes before adding broccoli cause it was a bit hard), Italian seasonings and smoked paprika. Thank you! Will definitely make again
Another “make again” recipe! I love how simple it is and that it doesn’t require a ton of steps or a lot of hands-on work. I was able to meal prep my breakfast for tomorrow while browning the sausage and then cooking the broccoli and garlic. I used chicken sausage and whole wheat pasta, and it came out perfectly. I can’t wait to bring the leftovers for lunch tomorrow!