One Pot Spaghetti with Sausage
This One Pot Spaghetti with Sausage is a go-to weeknight meal the entire family will love! Spaghetti, meat, and marinara all cook in one pan making a rich, creamy sauce. Two types of meat give the pasta sauce great flavor and the best part? Everything comes together in one pot making clean-up a breeze!
Serve this up with these delicious Italian Grissini Breadsticks and a crisp, simple salad!
I am a fan of easy recipes that come together in one pot or one pan….because less dish/pan-washing is ALWAYS a great thing!
This one-pot spaghetti recipe fits the bill! Not only does it come together in one pot, but the dish also has a creaminess to it WITHOUT using heavy cream! The spaghetti, meat, and sauce all cook together and the starch from the spaghetti makes a rich, creamy pasta that’s OH-SO-GOOD!
You won’t want to make pasta any other way after this!
Need more easy one-pan meals? Try my One Pan Shrimp and Sausage Pasta, this One Pot Tuna Mac and Cheese , this Velveeta Hamburger Helper or this nice, light One Pot Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon!
And if you love sausage and need some spice, try this amazing Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Super easy recipe with simple ingredients.
- Delicious, hearty meat sauce with loads of flavor!
- Only ONE POT to wash–pasta and sauce both cook in the same pot!
- Leftovers freeze well!
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this delicious one pot sausage pasta recipe:
INGREDIENT NOTES
Italian Sausage: Turkey or chicken sausage also work. Just avoid breakfast sausage!
Chicken Stock/Broth: Low sodium, if possible. I always like the flexibility to add my own salt, if needed.
Marinara Sauce: Use your favorite jarred marinara or spaghetti sauce. We love Rao’s!
HOW TO MAKE ONE POT SPAGHETTI WITH SAUSAGE: STEP BY STEP
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below!
Step 1: In a large pot, brown up your meat(s) with the onion, garlic and seasonings.
Step 2: Add chicken broth, jar of sauce and uncooked noodles. Submerge the noodles into the liquid as they soften. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until noodles are al dente. Stir often!
Step 3: Top with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese and serve right away!
RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS
- If the liquid is not completely absorbed after 15-20 minutes, cook an additional minute or so, then turn off the heat and let the pasta cool for a bit. The liquid will evaporate as it cools. If your pasta isn’t cooked enough after 15-20 minutes, simply stir in a splash of chicken stock or water and continue cooking until al dente.
- If you like, you can break the spaghetti noodles in half so they fit into the pot more easily.
- If you like your pasta super “saucy” you can stir in a bit more jarred marinara sauce (or your favorite spaghetti sauce) toward the end of cooking.
⭐️ CONFIDENCE TIP ⭐️
Don’t be afraid to mix up the types of meat(s) you use and make the meat sauce your own! Use what you love! Ground turkey, hot Italian sausage, and ground chicken all work great!
STORAGE & REHEATING
- Storage: Store leftover spaghetti in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers in the microwave, loosely covered in 20-30 second increments. You can also reheat leftovers on the stove over low heat. Add a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen it up a bit and stir while heating.
- Freezing: Because this recipe doesn’t have cream or dairy, it freezes up great! Transfer cooled pasta to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to enjoy it again, thaw it in the fridge, then reheat on the stove according to reheating instructions above. Note: After freezing, your pasta may be slightly less al dente after reheating, but it will still taste delish!
ADDITIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Here are some great subs and swaps for this dish!
- Meat: Swap out any type of ground meat you love! You can also use a full pound of sausage or a full pound of beef.
- Veggies: We love the red onion in this recipe because it adds a great sweetness to the dish. Adding in sweet bell pepper is also a great way to add some flavor! Green pepper, mushrooms, and corn are also yummy veggie additions to try!
- Spice: Need more spice or heat? Dried basil, parsley, oregano, Italian seasoning, or cayenne pepper can be added. Add these seasonings with the meat in step 1.
- Pasta: You can use another pasta shape. However, note that cooking times may be slightly different. Also, if it’s a larger shape pasta, additional liquid may be needed to get the pasta to al dente.
- Cheese: Stirring in a cup or two of mozzarella cheese toward the end of cooking is an easy way to get a nice, cheesy pasta!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You can use another pasta shape. However, note that cooking times may be slightly different. Also, if it’s a larger shape pasta, additional liquid may be needed to get the pasta to al dente.
A nice, crisp salad like this tossed salad or this simple arugula salad and this perfect garlic bread baguette are perfect sides for this pasta dish!
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TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE
Check out all of my kitchen essentials in my Amazon store!
Large Pot: The only pot you’ll need for this recipe!
Potato Masher: For getting the meat broken up nice and fine!
Wooden Spoon: For stirring pasta while cooking, so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
MORE EASY PASTA RECIPES
I hope you love this One Pot Spaghetti with Sausage! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
One Pot Spaghetti with Sausage
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. lean ground beef See Note 1
- 1/2 lb. mild Italian pork sausage not breakfast sausage (see Note 1)
- 1 small red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 4 large cloves of garlic, minced the best garlic chopper!
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 32 oz. chicken broth or stock, low-sodium broth preferred
- 12 oz. uncooked spaghetti noodles
- 24 oz. marinara sauce (or your favorite jarred pasta sauce) we love Rao's!
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- fresh basil, Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Brown Meat: Heat a large pot (or large dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, sausage, red onion, garlic, and salt/pepper/red pepper flakes. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Cook 8-10 minutes until meat is browned and fully cooked and onion is soft. Pro Tip: Use a potato masher toward the end of cooking to get the meat broken up nice and fine!
- Add: Add chicken broth, marinara sauce, and uncooked spaghetti to the pot. Using tongs or a wooden spoon, gently press the uncooked noodles into the pot as they begin and soften. After a minute or so, the noodles should be submerged in the liquid. Note: If you like, you can break the spaghetti noodles in half to make it easier for them to fit into the pot.
- Boil & Stir: Bring to a boil, stirring often, so the spaghetti doesn't stick.
- Simmer: Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until pasta is al dente and any excess liquid is absorbed. Stir every few minutes to ensure spaghetti isn't sticking to the bottom (See Note 2).
- Serve: Top with fresh basil and lots of Parmesan cheese and serve immeditely!
Last night was the 3rd time I’ve made your recipe – THIS YEAR! HALLELUJAH! It is so, so good! I LOVE that its all in onepot – I use my Dutch Oven. I used all ground beef, or turkey Italian sausage, as I had on hand. I increased the pasta (bowties or elbow or rigatoni) to 16 ounces but added extra broth & marinara (Raos). I’m cautious about my tummy so decreased red pepper to 1/2 tsp, now to 1/4 tsp. Might add fresh spinach next time. AWESOME recipe – thank you so much!!!
Yay! Once you make pasta in one pot it’s hard to go back! Love your variations and additions!! XO ~ Casey
I made this for dinner last night and it was incredible! So convenient that it’s all made in one pot!
One pot and it is spaghetti?!! This is a win-win!!
WHat a delicious one-pot recipe! I pinned to make this for the weekend. Thanks for the recipe.
I love how simple and family friendly this one is. Not to mention, incredibly cozy! Comfort food is the name of the game in this house right now and this was a HIT.
Such an easy and quick recipe with great flavours and useful idea for cooking with italian sausage.