30 Minute Spicy Sausage Pasta

A great 30 minute one pan spicy sausage pasta casserole that is simple with these easy to follow step by step photo instructions.

Editor's Note: Originally Published September 28, 2013. Updated with expanded discussion and options along with re-edited photos.

A skinny version of an American Test Kitchen Spicy Sausage Pasta recipe (subscription required) from their The Best Simple Recipes cookbook.

I lowered the fat by using turkey sausage and substituted low-fat sour cream for the heavy cream. I just can not bring myself to use something called heavy cream.

My Rating:

High 4 or low 5.

Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for 30-Minute Spicy Sausage Pasta

Start with some cut up sausage of your choice.  Brown the sausage with some onion. Add chicken broth, RoTel, sour cream, and spices. Bring to a boil and add uncooked pasta. Simmer until pasta is tender. Mix in a little cheese. Top with more cheese and brown under a broiler. You are in taste bud heaven.

What Sausage to Use?

I just routinely use turkey sausage. Great taste and lower fat. No need for an unhealthy choice.

But use the sausage of your choice. The original ATK recipe called for chorizo. I prefer the precooked smoked sausage. You can even use bulk Italian sausage and break it up when you brown it.

Do I have to use Rotel?

No just substitute diced tomatoes. But it may be a little bland so add some spices if you want. Also, if you use the tomatoes, drain them and a 15 oz can will be about the amount in the 10.5 oz Rotel can.

The Pasta

One thing I like about this recipe is cooking the pasta with the spicy liquid. I think too many recipes have you cook pasta and then cook it again in the dish. That is why a lot of dishes have pasta the texture of a school lunch. You deserve more.

I just happen to use bowtie pasta here but use the dry pasta that you have and cook until tender in the dish.

What Cheese to Use

I like Monterey cheese here but use the cheese that you want. You will need 1 to 1/2 cups shredded of the cheese of your choice. To keep this skinny, use a lower fat cheese like a 2% or lower fat. I never recommend using fat-free cheese. Yuck.

How Spicy is It?

This was 6/10 spicy already. If you are spicy adverse(AKA wimpy), replace the RoTel with a can of diced tomatoes and drain the liquid.

Other Casseroles to Try

Baked Chicken Spaghetti

Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

Chicken Baked Ziti

Spicy Parmesan Chicken Alfredo

Preheat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat in a large oven-safe the pan. (Opps, picture with regular sour cream but low fat was used)

Chop one medium onion and 1 pound of sausage of your choice into 1/4 inch medallions. I used Butterball Smoked Sausage.

Add the onion and sausage to the pan. Cook until onion is clearing nicely and sausage is browning. About 5 minutes. Add two cloves of minced garlic and cook another 30 seconds.

Add 1 - 14 oz can chicken broth, 1 - 10 1/2 oz can RoTel, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 t salt, and 1/2 t pepper. Mix well. Add 8 oz.(2 cups) of dry pasta of your choice.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then decrease the heat to low: cover and simmer. Stir occasionally and cook until pasta is tender — about 15 minutes. If you are approaching the endpoint for the pasta and too much fluid is present, uncover and increase heat to medium-high for the last few minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of shredded cheese of your choice and mix in.

Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese on top.

Place under broiler until cheese is melted and browning some.

Garnish with chopped green onions if desired.

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4.41 from 5 votes

30 Minute Spicy Sausage Pasta

A great 30 minute one pan spicy sausage pasta casserole that is simple with these easy to follow step by step photo instructions.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time30 mins

Author: Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

Servings/Adjust Amount: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound sausage - of choice - I used turkey smoked sausage
• 1 onion - medium chopped
• 2 teaspoons oil
• 2 cloves garlic - minced or crushed
• 14 oz chicken broth - Low Sodium
• 10.5 oz RoTel
• 1/2 cup low fat sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 8 oz dry pasta - of choice
• 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese - I like Monterey for this
• 2 green onion - sliced to garnish optional

US Customary - Convert to Metric

Instructions

• Preheat two teaspoons oil over medium-high heat in a large oven safe pan.
• Chop one medium onion and 1 pound of sausage of your choice into 1/4 inch medallions. I used Butterball Smoked Sausage.
• Add the onion and sausage to the pan. Cook until onion is clearing nicely and sausage is browning. About 5 minutes.
• Add two cloves of minced garlic and cook another 30 seconds.
• Add 1 – 14 oz can low sodium chicken broth, 1 – 10 1/2 oz can RoTel, 1/2 cup low fat sour cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix well. Add 8 oz.(2 cups) of dry pasta of your choice.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then decrease heat to low. Cover and simmer. Stir occasionally and cook until pasta is tender. About 15 minutes but depends on your pasta. If you are approaching the end point for the pasta and too much fluid is present, uncover and increase heat to medium-high for the last few minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and mix in. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese on top.
• Place under broiler until cheese is melted and browning some.
• Garnish with chopped green onions if desired.

Recipe Notes

Pro Tips

1. This is an easy recipe to modify to your taste. Use the sausage, pasta and cheese of your choice.
2. If you don't want spicy, substitute a can of drained diced tomatoes for the Rotel.
3. tI like to use precooked turkey sausage but use the sausage of your choice. You can even use bulk sausage as long as you brown it.
4. Use the cheese of your choice, also. I suspect most will use a cheddar but I like Monterey for this. Even mozzarella would be good. To decrease fat, you can use a 2% milk cheese. Please do not use non-fat cheese.
5. Good refrigerated for 3-4 days and will freeze well for 3-4 months.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword 30-Minute Casserole, Sausage Pasta

 

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ADJUST THE RECIPE SIZE:

You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.  

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

30 Minute Spicy Sausage Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 415 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 4g20%

Cholesterol 69mg23%

Sodium 738mg31%

Potassium 511mg15%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 29g58%

Vitamin A 217IU4%

Vitamin C 9mg11%

Calcium 132mg13%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

Nutrition is generally for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.

 

All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.

Originally Published September 28, 2013