This 20-Minute Sausage Pasta Skillet is a fast, hearty dinner made with browned smoked sausage, short pasta, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, cream, and melted cheese. It serves 4 and takes just 5–8 minutes to prep and about 12–15 minutes to cook, making it a practical one-pan meal for busy weeknights.
Every forkful combines juicy sausage, tender pasta, a creamy tomato sauce, and savory melted cheese. The pasta cooks directly in the skillet, releasing starch that thickens the sauce while keeping cleanup wonderfully simple.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
This sausage pasta skillet brings the comfort of baked pasta to the table without waiting for the oven to heat or washing several pots. The sausage browns quickly, the pasta cooks in the tomato-broth mixture, and the final addition of dairy and cheese creates a rich sauce in one deep skillet.
It is especially useful on evenings when you want a filling dinner with familiar ingredients. The combination of smoked sausage and Italian seasoning gives the dish plenty of savory flavor, while tomatoes add brightness and balance the creamy finish.
- Fast: Prep takes 5–8 minutes, and the full meal is ready in about 20 minutes.
- Simple: The pasta cooks right in the sauce, so there is no separate pasta pot.
- Family-friendly: The red pepper flakes are optional, and you can choose mozzarella, cheddar, or Monterey Jack.
- Flexible: Add vegetables such as bell pepper, spinach, mushrooms, or zucchini when you have them.
If you enjoy easy skillet dinners, our chicken pasta skillet is another hearty one-pan idea to keep in your dinner rotation.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Choose a large, deep skillet with a lid so the pasta has room to simmer without spilling. Fully cooked smoked sausage or kielbasa is ideal because it only needs a short browning time before the rest of the ingredients go in.
The undrained diced tomatoes provide both tomato flavor and liquid. Low-sodium chicken broth supplies the additional moisture needed to cook the 8 ounces of short pasta while giving you more control over the finished seasoning.
- Sausage: Slice it into 1/4-inch rounds so each piece browns quickly and distributes throughout the pasta.
- Pasta: Penne or another short shape works well because it holds the creamy tomato sauce.
- Dairy: Heavy cream gives the richest result, while whole milk creates a lighter sauce.
- Cheese: Mozzarella, cheddar, and Monterey Jack all melt well and bring a different character to the skillet.
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning, black pepper, and optional crushed red pepper flakes keep the flavor balanced without requiring a long ingredient list.
For another comforting way to pair sausage with vegetables, take a look at this easy cabbage and sausage soup. It is a good choice when you want something brothy rather than creamy.
How to Make It Step-by-Step
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook for 2–3 minutes, turning the pieces once, until they are lightly browned on both sides.
Step 2: Add the diced yellow onion to the browned sausage and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and continue cooking for 30 seconds, watching closely so the garlic becomes fragrant without scorching.
Step 3: Pour in the undrained diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Add the uncooked penne, Italian seasoning, optional crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper, then stir thoroughly to combine.
Step 4: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the skillet and simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the pasta cooks evenly and the pieces on the bottom do not stick.
Step 5: Check the pasta for tenderness once most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the heavy cream or whole milk and shredded cheese, then cook for 1–2 minutes until the cheese melts into a smooth, creamy sauce.
Step 6: Taste the finished skillet and adjust the salt and black pepper to suit your preference. Finish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired, and serve immediately for the creamiest texture.
Pro Tips for the Best Skillet Pasta
Do not rinse the pasta before adding it to the skillet. The starch released during cooking is important because it helps the broth, tomato juices, cream, and cheese become a cohesive sauce instead of a thin liquid.
Stir the pasta regularly during the covered simmer, particularly across the bottom and corners of the skillet. Keep the lid on between stirring sessions because the trapped steam helps the noodles cook evenly and prevents the surface from drying out.
- Use a deep skillet rather than a shallow frying pan to keep the simmer controlled.
- Slice the sausage evenly so every piece browns at roughly the same rate.
- Add the cheese after the pasta is tender rather than at the beginning, which helps prevent a grainy sauce.
- Let the skillet rest for a minute or two after cooking if the sauce looks loose; it will continue to thicken as it stands.
- Serve immediately because the pasta continues absorbing sauce as it cools.
Easy Variations and Add-Ins
This recipe is delicious as written, but it also welcomes vegetables. Add diced bell pepper, mushrooms, or zucchini with the onion so they have time to soften, or stir in spinach during the final minute so it wilts without becoming overcooked.
Raw Italian sausage can replace the smoked sausage if preferred. Remove the casing, brown the sausage thoroughly, and drain excess fat before adding the onion, garlic, tomatoes, broth, and pasta.
For a less creamy version, omit the cream and use 1 to 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese for a tomato-and-cheese sauce. The result will still be hearty, savory, and satisfying, with a more pronounced tomato flavor.
For a cold pasta option with crisp vegetables and a tangy dressing, you can also try this BLT pasta salad. It makes a useful contrast to this warm, creamy skillet meal.
Storage, Reheating, and Serving
Serve the skillet immediately with a little extra parsley scattered over the top. A simple green salad, steamed broccoli, or warm crusty bread can round out the dinner without adding much preparation time.
Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container once they have cooled. The pasta will absorb more sauce in the refrigerator, so reheat individual portions gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a small splash of broth or milk to loosen the mixture.
When reheating on the stovetop, use low to medium-low heat and stir often. Avoid boiling the leftovers, since high heat can make the dairy sauce separate and may leave the pasta softer than desired.
20-Minute Sausage Pasta Skillet
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced smoked sausage and cook for 2–3 minutes, turning once, until the rounds are lightly browned.
- Add the diced onion and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the undrained diced tomatoes, chicken broth, uncooked pasta, Italian seasoning, optional red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir well so the pasta is coated and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Bring the skillet mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Stir in the heavy cream or whole milk and shredded cheese. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring gently, until the sauce is creamy and the cheese has melted.
- Taste the pasta and adjust the salt and black pepper as needed. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately while the sauce is hot and silky.
Notes
Final Thoughts
This 20-Minute Sausage Pasta Skillet is the kind of dinner that earns a regular spot on the weekly menu. It delivers browned sausage, tender pasta, creamy tomato sauce, and melted cheese with only one main pan and a short list of everyday ingredients.
Keep the pasta covered while it simmers, stir every few minutes, and wait until the end to add the cream and cheese. With those simple steps, you will have a warm, satisfying skillet dinner ready to serve in about 20 minutes.