Sweet Italian sausage combined with Cavatappi pasta, mushrooms, balsamic glaze and seasonings cooked in a skillet makes a tasty, quick and easy weeknight meal.
It's not often that I make a recipe and want to share it immediately; however, this Skillet Balsamic Sausage Pasta was so delicious I couldn't wait!
Whenever I take Italian sausage out for dinner, my usual go to recipe is this Sausage Potato Bake cooked on a sheet pan. I can add whatever fresh vegetable I have on hand and a complete dinner is ready in under an hour.
The recipe is SO easy that it hardly takes any thought; which is great on those busy weeknights when we have to work late and stop to grab something quick to eat.
Lately, that's been at least 3-4 times per week! When I looked in my pantry, I must have used all of our potatoes without realizing. Since my husband and I have both under the weather, a trip to the store was not on my agenda for the day.
I always have pasta laying around and decided I wanted to make a new recipe using just one pan; like I did with this Italian Ground Chicken Pasta Skillet.
It is actually one of the most popular recipes because you put all of the ingredients in a skillet on top of the stove. Which means less mess to clean up afterwards as well.
When experimenting with new recipes, I love just adding what I have on hand. This Skillet Balsamic Sausage Pasta was incredibly delicious and even reheats well.
The cooking times, equipment used, ingredients and cooking temperature are specific for this recipe. If any deviation, the recipe may not turn out the same.
My stove is propane gas; which is reflected in the directions below. If using an electric stove, decrease the temperature slightly to ensure even cooking. Please read suggestions below.
Equipment
The skillet I used measures 24 x 13.7 x 5.7 inches. If using a smaller skillet, cooking time may need to be increased slightly.
Ingredients
For this recipe you'll need the following ingredients:
- evoo
- Italian sausage links (I used sweet); sliced
- minced garlic
- chopped fresh rosemary
- mushrooms; cleaned and quartered
- Italian seasoning
- balsamic glaze (not vinegar)
- chicken broth
- cavatappi pasta
- grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- heavy cream
- shredded Mozzarella cheese (whole or part skim; not fat free)
If using any other type of pasta, cooking times will vary. If the pasta is smaller, you may want to start with less chicken broth; then gradually add more if needed.
If the pasta is larger, you may need to add a bit more broth to ensure the pasta is cooked al dente.
Substitutions
Here are a few substitutions or additions you can make to this recipe:
Sausage: Italian hot sausage links, chicken sausage links, ground sausage, ground beef, ground chicken, ground turkey
Mushrooms: zucchini, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, spinach, peppers, onions
Cavatappi Pasta: rotini, bow tie, penne, gemelli
Heavy Cream: half & half
How do you make Skillet Balsamic Sausage Pasta?
Start by gathering your ingredients; then slice the sausage into ½-inch thick pieces. Add the oil to the large skillet, heat over medium high heat; then add the sausage and cook 8-10 minutes until brown and no longer pink.
Next, add the garlic, rosemary, mushrooms and Italian seasoning and cook another 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms start to soften.
Add the balsamic glaze, chicken broth and cavatappi pasta and stir.
Reduce heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and allow to simmer for 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is cooked through al dente.
Finally, add the grated cheese, Mozzarella cheese and heavy cream; then stir 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Pour into a serving bowl; then serve hot.
This Balsamic Sausage Pasta is ready in 30 minutes and serves 4 people. We served ours with a tossed salad, but garlic bread would be a nice addition too. ~Enjoy!
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Skillet Balsamic Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage links
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 8 ounces mushrooms (cleaned and quartered)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup balsamic glaze
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 8 ounces cavatappi pasta
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese (whole or part skim; not fat free)
Instructions
- Start by gathering your ingredients; then slice the sausage into ½-inch thick pieces.
- Add the oil to the large skillet, heat over medium high heat; then add the sausage and cook 8 minutes until brown and no longer pink.
- Next, add the garlic, rosemary, mushrooms and Italian seasoning and cook another 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms start to soften.
- Add the balsamic glaze, chicken broth and cavatappi pasta and stir.
- Reduce heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and allow to simmer for 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is cooked through al dente.
- Finally, add the grated cheese, Mozzarella cheese and heavy cream; then stir 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Pour into a serving bowl; then serve hot.
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