Cheesy Sausage Pasta (One Pan!)

This simple Cheesy Sausage Pasta is all made in ONE baking dish — the oven does all the work! No need to pre-boil the pasta or pre-cook the sausage; just dump it all in the pan and bake.

Cheesy Sausage Pasta made in ONE Pan

For years we’ve shared dinner recipes made in one pan, one pot, or by dumping everything in a slow cooker and forgetting about it. It doesn’t get much better than a dinner fully prepared and cooked in one vessel — less work and fewer dishes.

And today is no different. We’ve got ultra-creamy and cheesy sausage, broccoli, and pasta all baked in one dish in the oven. No need to pre-cook anything — the oven’s got your back here.

How To Make Cheesy Sausage Pasta

• Generously grease a 9×13-inch pan. We recommend ceramic or glass, but we have tested this recipe in a metal pan, and that works as well.
• Dump just about everything in. Right into the dish, we add uncooked pasta, flour (to thicken), seasonings, butter, chicken stock/broth, and milk. Top with broccoli.
• Cover and bake!
• Add everything else in. Remove the foil and give everything a good stir. Add in the cheese and top with sausage. Finish off with another sprinkle of cheese.
• Bake again! Bake everything once more and, if you’re feeling ambitious in the meantime, whip up a quick side dish like this Cucumber Salad or Lentil Salad.

What Type Of Sausage To Use

We recommend using a fully cooked smoked sausage for this recipe. We love using hardwood smoked turkey sausage (to keep this dish on the healthier side).

You could also use chicken sausage for a lighter option. We don’t recommend using uncooked sausage; it will make the dish too greasy.

Cheesy Sausage Pasta Tips

• Seasonings go a long way! There is no onion in this dish (we’re emphasizing quick prep!) so you’ll want to make sure to add the suggested seasonings and then adjust to personal preference. A few seasonings go a long way and add lots of flavor. 
• Add freshly grated cheese. To avoid clumping, I like to freshly grate the cheese (packaged grated cheese has a cellulose coating that keeps it from melting as smoothly). Yes, this recipe is supposed to be simple, but freshly grated cheese makes a world of difference in a recipe like this one! Speed up the grating by using a food processor with a grating attachment. 
• This one-pot Cheesy Sausage Pasta does not cook up the same in smaller pans; you’ll want a 9×13-inch pan or a dish that can comfortably fit 14-16 cups.

Cheesy Sausage Pasta Ingredient Notes

• We recommend sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar for maximum flavor. A sharp white Cheddar will also work nicely
• The better the stock, the more flavor this dish will have. We love and use Swanson® Chicken Stock (not sponsored). If using chicken broth, you may need a bit more seasoning for a more robust flavor.
• We use and recommend whole milk. This is intended to be a creamy recipe, and the lower-fat milk choices won’t achieve the right texture. That said, you can use 1% or 2% (for a less creamy dish). Unfortunately, skim milk or a dairy milk alternative doesn’t work the same in this Cheesy Sausage Pasta.

More Recipes Using Smoked Sausage:

• Smoked Sausage, Potatoes, and Corn in one skillet!
• Roasted Sweet Potato and Sausage with Pesto only three ingredients
• Garlic Butter Sausage and Veggies in foil packs
• Honey Mustard Chicken Sausage and Veggies made in the air fryer
• Harvest Vegetables and Sausage with Brussels sprouts

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5 from 3 votes

Cheesy Sausage Pasta

By Chelsea Lords

This simple Cheesy Sausage Pasta is all made in ONE baking dish -- the oven does all the work! No need to pre-boil the pasta or pre-cook the sausage, just dump it all in and bake.

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 11-14 ounces smoked sausage Note 1
• ▢ 2-1/2 cups (8 oz.) penne or rotini pasta Note 2
• ▢ 1/4 cup white flour
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon each: onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder
• ▢ Fine sea salt and pepper
• ▢ 1-1/2 cups chicken stock/broth Note 3
• ▢ 2 cups milk Note 4
• ▢ 2-1/2 cups chopped broccoli (~1 small bunch)
• ▢ 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 1-1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, separated
• ▢ Optional: fresh parsley, finely chopped

Instructions 

• PREP: Start by removing the milk from the fridge, measuring 2 cups, and setting it aside for now. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray. Coin sausage then cut coins in half.
  
• COMBINE: Add the following ingredients in this order to the pan: uncooked pasta, flour (sprinkled evenly on top), seasonings (mustard, onion, and garlic powder), and salt/pepper to taste (I add 3/4 tsp of each), minced garlic, chicken broth/stock, milk, and butter (cut into 2 pieces). Stir well. Top with coarsely chopped broccoli. Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
  
• BAKE AGAIN: Remove foil, and stir ingredients together really well. Add in 1 cup Cheddar cheese and stir through again. Place the cut sausage on top of ingredients in one even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar on top. Return the pan to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until pasta is tender and the top is golden brown (don't overbake or sauce will bake out). Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes (it thickens more as it stands). Enjoy immediately, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.
  

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Recipe Notes

Note 1: Sausage: I recommend using a fully cooked smoked sausage for this recipe. We love using hardwood smoked turkey sausage and have also tested chicken sausage. I don't recommend using uncooked sausage; it will make the dish overly greasy and won't cook properly. Anywhere in the range of 11-14 ounces will work great. We typically use a 13-ounce package.

Note 2: Pasta: We've tested with penne and rotini and recommend either. If using a different type of pasta, check the label to be sure the boil time is similar timing to penne/rotini (9-11 minutes)

Note 3: Chicken stock: The better the stock, the more flavor this dish will have. We love and use Swanson® Chicken Stock. If using chicken broth, you may need a bit more seasoning.

Note 4: Whole milk: Remove from the fridge, measure, and set aside before starting to cook. Room-temperature milk will heat quicker! This is intended to be a creamy recipe, and the lower-fat milk choices won't achieve the right texture. That said, you can use 1% or 2% (for a less creamy dish). Unfortunately, skim milk or a dairy milk alternative doesn't work the same in this recipe.

Note 5: Cheese: To avoid clumping, I like to freshly grate the cheese (packaged grated cheese has a cellulose coating that keeps it from melting as smoothly). Yes, this recipe is supposed to be simple, but freshly grated cheese makes a world of difference. Speed up the grating by using a food processor with a grating attachment. I recommend sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar for maximum flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 773kcal | Carbohydrates: 61.4g | Protein: 33.9g | Fat: 43.1g | Cholesterol: 111.4mg | Sodium: 942.1mg | Fiber: 3.2g | Sugar: 9.7g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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