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One Pot Sausage, Tomato and Pesto Pasta

written by Ashley Fehr

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5 from 8 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 6 servings

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Last updated on March 1, 2024

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This one pot Sausage, Tomato and Pesto Pasta is full of flavor but made with just a few simple ingredients! It’s a family favorite!

If you love the flavor of Italian sausage, try this Italian Sausage Soup recipe, The BEST Sausage Tortellini Soup or my Baked Gnocchi with Sausage next!

overhead image of one pot italian sausage pasta in pan

I originally shared this recipe 6 years ago, when life was crazy and I was a high school teacher, food blogger, and mom of a toddler.

I can’t say that things have calmed down any, it’s just a different kind of crazy!

That’s why we’re still loving one pot meals, and pasta is always a hit.

If you love one pan meals as much as I do, check out this Orecchiette Pasta with Sausage, this One Pot Chicken Chow Mein or this One Pan Sausage and Rice next!

close up image of sausage tomato pasta in pan

Variations and Substitutions for this One Pot Pasta:

There are lots of ways to make this recipe your own, since the base is so simple to begin with! Here are a few of our favorites:

  • Add more veggies! There are not really any veggies in here, so you can start anywhere:
    • saute some onions, mushrooms or peppers along with the meat.
    • stir in some chopped spinach with the cheese at the end
    • cook some shredded zucchini and carrot with the meat, and no one will ever know!
  • Swap out the meat: use Italian turkey sausage, or another ground meat — just keep in mind if you are not using Italian sausage you will want to add additional herbs and spices
  • Swap out the cheese: the options are endless!
close up image of pasta in pan with wooden spoon
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How to store and reheat leftover pasta:

We often have leftover pasta, so I feel I’ve become a bit of an expert in reheating it to taste (almost!) fresh.

Simply place the leftover pasta in a large skillet with a splash of water, milk or broth. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.

If you’re in a pinch, you can reheat in the microwave, just be sure to add a splash of moisture and cover it during the heating process!

tomato pesto pasta in blue bowl with fork stuck in noodles

Can I freeze this pasta?

Pasta freezes fairly well, as long as you are not picky about the al dente texture.

Pasta will soften as it is frozen and thawed, so keep that in mind if you are going to go this route.

You can place into freezer-safe container or even plastic freezer bag, then freeze up to 3 months.

I recommend thawing completely before heating through, and the method I shared above works great!

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One Pot Sausage, Tomato and Pesto Pasta

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 8 votes
This one pot Sausage, Tomato and Pesto Pasta is full of flavor but made with just a few simple ingredients! It's a family favorite!
overhead image of one pot italian sausage pasta in pan
Review
Print
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Servings 6 servings
Calories 562cal

Ingredients

  • 375 grams Italian sausage (casing removed, mild or spicy)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups milk
  • 14 oz can diced tomatoes drained slightly
  • 5 cups rotini pasta or other short pasta
  • 2 teaspoons basil pesto
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • In a large pot, crumble sausage and cook over medium-high heat until browned. Add garlic and salt and cook 1 minute.
  • Add broth, milk, tomatoes, pasta and pesto and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10-12 minutes until pasta is cooked and liquid has reduced and thickened. If the liquid has absorbed and the pasta is not cooked, continue adding ¼ cup of liquid and cooking until cooked through — keep in mind the pasta will thicken as it sits.
  • Stir in cheese and serve.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 562cal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 1553mg | Potassium: 546mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 434IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 333mg | Iron: 2mg

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  4. Mary Frances says

    Bless your heart Ashley! (and yes my friends remind that is a southern grandma saying but I use it all the time anyways 🙂 ) Those are some long days and definitely call for pjs and one pot pasta dishes. The pesto and sausage combo sounds incredible. Pinning!

    Reply

  6. marcie@flavorthemoments says

    I don’t know which is more demanding, Ashley. I did give up my day job to stay home with my kids and when they were little and it was the hardest time of my life! It was a definite perk hanging out in sweats all day, however. haha This one pot meal would make me very happy any day of the week — it looks delicious! 🙂

    Reply

  7. Cyndi - My Kitchen Craze says

    One pot meals are the best ever. They are going to be your life saver when you are exhausted and just need a quick meal and a quick shower, so you can go back to sleep or feeding the lil baby. 🙂 So excited for you to be on maternity leave. 😉

    Reply

  8. Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says

    I love one pot meals! Especially if they contain pasta. 🙂
    Having a toddler and a newborn is definitely demanding and when mine were that age there were days I stayed in my pajamas all day, although not necessarily because I wanted to. 🙂

    Reply

  9. Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says

    One pot meals are my favorite these days after having our second too especially during this busy fall and holiday season. This pasta looks incredible and so comforting! Love the pesto in here too! Spending all day in PJ’s is the best 🙂 Can’t believe how soon your due date is coming up – so excited for you and your family 🙂

    Reply

    • Ashley says

      Thanks Natalie! I think I’m getting excited, too… mostly I’m just working like crazy trying to get ahead! Lol.

      Reply

  18. Stacey @ Bake.Eat.Repeat. says

    This looks like the perfect one pot pasta dinner! I love how colourful it is! And yes, a newborn is exhausting, but at least you generally don’t have to be out of the house at a certain time while on mat leave! That’s always kind of nice, so hopefully things will be a bit less crazy for you! 🙂

    Reply

    • Ashley says

      Thanks Stacey! To be honest, my first newborn was pretty awesome and slept all the time, and was happy when she was awake. But I think #2 is quite a bit different! Especially since toddlers don’t nap 4 times a day… Lol.

      Reply

  19. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says

    This fall has been crazy for me too, and will probably get worse with the holidays! But oh well, that’s the fun of it I guess! 🙂 This one pot meal sounds perfect those busy weeknights (which is all the time). Love the pesto in here, too!

    Reply

    • Ashley says

      Thanks Gayle! Pesto gives so much flavour! I’m not sure whether I should be excited or nervous about holidays coming… I wish I knew when baby #2 would arrive!

      Reply

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