This smoked sausage pasta turns a from-scratch cheese sauce, sliced kielbasa, and tender broccoli into a full dinner in one skillet. The idea comes from my mom, who made a version with a boxed mix, and it still comes together in about 30 minutes without a can of soup in sight!
More sausage pasta dinners:
Before You Get Started
This one moves fast once the skillet is hot, and a few small decisions make the difference between a silky cheese sauce and a grainy one:
- Grate the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with starch that keeps it from melting smoothly.
- Salt the pasta water well. This is your only chance to season the noodles, and the broccoli can cook right alongside them.
- Keep the sauce loose. It thickens as it sits, so add a splash of half-and-half any time it tightens up.
The absolute best recipe I have found in years!! I go exactly by the recipe.
– Cindy
How to Make Smoked Sausage Pasta
Everything comes together quickly at the end, so slice the sausage, dice the onion, and grate the cheese before you turn on a burner.
Step 1: Boil the Pasta and Broccoli
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni until al dente. Add the broccoli florets during the last three minutes so both finish at the same time, then drain and set aside.
Cooking them in the same pot is what keeps this a one-pot dinner instead of a two-pot one, and the broccoli comes out bright green and just tender.
⇢ Any short pasta works here: Small shells, rotini, and penne all catch the sauce as well as elbows do.
Step 2: Brown the Sausage and Onion
Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the sausage rounds and diced onion.
Cook, stirring regularly, until the sausage picks up browned edges and the onion turns tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Move it all to a plate and wipe out the skillet so the browned bits do not scorch under the sauce.
⇢ Smoked sausage is already cooked: Browning is about caramelized edges and flavor, not cooking it through, so pull it once it has good color.
Any smoked sausage works here, and each one shifts the dish a little:
- Kielbasa is the mildest and usually the most kid-friendly.
- Andouille brings the heat.
- Smoked turkey sausage lightens things up without losing the smoky flavor.
Italian sausage is a different animal, since it is raw and needs to cook all the way through. If that is what is in your fridge, my Italian Sausage Pasta is your best bet.
Step 3: Build the Cheese Sauce
Melt the butter in the same skillet, sprinkle in the flour, and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.
Gradually whisk in the half-and-half and let it bubble and thicken for about two minutes.
Reduce the heat to low before the cheese goes anywhere near the pan, then add the cheddar, gouda, and dry mustard and stir until smooth.
Drop the heat before the cheese: Cheese seizes and turns grainy the moment it hits a pan that is still too hot.
Cheese Options: Sharp cheddar and smoked gouda give the sauce its backbone, but almost any good melting cheese works. Mild cheddar, gruyere, fontina, Colby, and Monterey Jack are all fair game, and yes, even a little (gasp!) Velveeta if that is what your family loves.
For a lighter sauce, use whole milk in place of the half-and-half. For a richer one, use heavy cream and plan to loosen it with a splash of milk at the end.
⇢ Make it Cajun: Stir Cajun or Creole seasoning into the sauce and use andouille, or try my Dump-and-Bake Cajun Sausage Pasta.
Try it another way
Want the same skillet cheese sauce without any meat in it? My Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese uses this exact method.
Step 4: Toss Everything Together and Serve
Return the drained pasta, broccoli, sausage, and onion to the skillet and toss until every piece is coated. If the sauce has tightened up, stir in a splash of half-and-half or milk to loosen it.
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, other soft herbs, or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, and serve right away while it is at its creamiest.
⇢ The broccoli is a suggestion, not a rule. Frozen peas, drained diced tomatoes, Rotel, or sautéed mushrooms all work in its place.
If you go the mushroom route, add them to the skillet with the sausage and onion so they brown instead of steaming in the sauce.
What to Serve Alongside
This is already a complete meal, with pasta, meat, and vegetables in one pan, so anything else on the table is a bonus! If you do want to stretch it further, something crisp and a little acidic is the best counterweight to all that cheese, and a basket of bread never hurts.
A few of my favorites:
Storage and Reheating
Store: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. This dish is at its best served immediately, so it is not a make-ahead candidate.
Freeze: Skip it. The cream-based sauce tends to break and separate when thawed, and the texture never fully recovers.
Reheat: Place the pasta in a saucepan or skillet with a splash of milk or cream and a small pat of butter, since the sauce dries out as it sits. Warm over low heat, stirring regularly, and it will come back together smooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my cheese sauce turn out grainy or too thick?
Grainy sauce almost always traces back to one of two things: pre-shredded cheese, or adding cheese while the pan is still too hot. Grate blocks by hand and drop the heat to low before the cheese goes in. If the sauce is smooth but too thick, stir in a splash of half-and-half or milk over low heat until it loosens up.
Can I make this without the sausage?
You can. It will not be as smoky, so lean into the cheese sauce with a pinch of smoked paprika and add extra vegetables to fill out the skillet. Broccoli plus mushrooms or peas gives you enough substance to carry the dish.
Can I use milk or heavy cream instead of half-and-half?
Both work. Whole milk makes a lighter sauce that sets up a bit thinner, while heavy cream makes it noticeably richer and thicker. If you go the heavy cream route, keep some milk handy to thin the sauce right before serving.
Is smoked sausage already cooked?
Yes. Kielbasa, andouille, and nearly all packaged smoked sausages come fully cooked, so they only need to be heated through. Browning the slices in the skillet is about building flavor and getting caramelized edges, not about food safety, which means you can pull them as soon as they have good color.
We loved this recipe! My picky 4 year old actually asked for seconds and couldn’t stop telling us how good it was! Thanks for a great one!
– Amanda
More Smoked Sausage Dinners
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Smoked Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (about 8 ounces)
- 1 ½ cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 13 ounces smoked sausage (such as kielbasa), sliced into rounds
- ½ cup finely-diced onion
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups half-and-half cream
- 8 ounces (about 2 cups) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 4 ounces (about 1 cup) smoked gouda cheese, grated
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta and broccoli. Cook macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. During the final 3 minutes of cooking time, add the broccoli florets to the boiling water with the pasta. Drain and set aside.
- Brown the sausage and onion. While the pasta and broccoli cook, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the sausage rounds and diced onion. Cook, stirring regularly, until the sausage is browned and the onion is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the sausage and onion from the skillet and set aside on a plate. Wipe out the skillet.
- Make the cheese sauce. Add butter to the skillet and cook, stirring, until melted. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for one more minute. Gradually whisk in the half-and-half. Cook and stir until the mixture bubbles and thickens, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, then add the cheddar, gouda, and dry mustard and stir until the cheeses melt.
- Toss and serve. Add the cooked macaroni, broccoli, sausage, and onion back to the skillet and toss to combine. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in a splash or two of extra half-and-half or milk to loosen it. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Timing: Get the pasta boiling while you prep everything else, including grating the cheese and browning the sausage and onion. Whisk the sauce together as the pasta finishes so nothing sits and gets cold.
- Cheese: Grate blocks by hand. Pre-shredded cheese carries a starchy anti-caking coating that keeps it from melting smoothly. Reduce the heat to low before adding the cheese, since a pan that is too hot will make the sauce grainy.
- Sausage: Smoked sausage is fully cooked, so browning is for flavor rather than food safety. Kielbasa is the mildest option, andouille adds heat, and smoked turkey sausage lightens the dish.
- Sauce consistency: The sauce thickens as it sits. Loosen it with a splash of half-and-half or milk at any point, including when reheating leftovers.
- Substitutions: Small shells, rotini, or penne work in place of elbows. Whole milk makes a lighter sauce and heavy cream makes a richer one. Swap the broccoli for frozen peas, drained diced tomatoes, Rotel, or sautéed mushrooms and zucchini.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. This dish does not freeze well, since the cream sauce separates when thawed. Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of milk and a pat of butter.
Nutrition
Originally published in March, 2021, this post was updated in September, 2026.
Oh, does this recipe look so good!!! Comfort food for sure! Will definitely be trying this soon and let you know how much we enjoyed it…. 🙂 Thanks!
Excellent! I hope you love it, Tess! 🙂
Had no taste
We’re sorry you didn’t enjoy it, Susan! You can always adjust the seasonings to suit your preferences.
We loved this recipe! My picky 4 year old actually asked for seconds and couldn’t stop telling us how good it was! Thanks for a great one!
I’m so glad to hear that! The best compliment is when a picky child (or husband) loves a meal! 🙂
It’s on our menu this week, too. Thanks for your note, Amanda!
The absolute best recipe I have found in years!! I go exactly by the recipe.
I make this once every few months it’s always a hit with my family.
We’re so happy to hear this, Jessica!
Made this tonight since I had a bog bag of florets and wanted something new. Had everything already. Used Cajun sausage tho. This was really good! I’ll try it with smoked sausage next time. Definitely a keeper. I did use about 2 cups broccoli.
Awesome! Thank you, Tiffany!
Yum! I had some pesto gouda to use up that I found at Costco and this worked great. Thanks for the tips about using different cheeses!
Wonderful! So glad that you enjoyed it, Sarah. Thank you!
This was SO GOOD!! Reminded me a bit of broccoli and cheese soup (with sausage.) My kids, 5 and 8, cleared their plates without one complaint – amazing. I did use a Cajun style andouille sausage which I thought gave it some nice flavor. Will definitely be making again.
Thank you, Kelly. That’s a huge honor that your little ones approved, too! 🙂
Could you use fresh spinach in place of the broccoli. Have all of the ingredients but the broccoli. Where/when would you add the spinach?
Absolutely! That would be a good substitute. The fresh spinach will wilt almost as soon as it hits the hot pan, so you can wait and stir it in at the very end —- at the same time that you stir in the cooked pasta and sausage. Hope you enjoy!
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! Went straight by the recipe. Used one crown of broccoli. Hillshire Farm smoked sausage. Smoked gouda and sharp cheddar..
I’ve tried so many new recipes and have been disappointed but this one DID NOT disappoint! Going into my favorites.
That’s wonderful to hear, Cindy. Thanks for taking the time to let us know!
Great Recipe
Thank you so much, Dee!
Can you use cheese sauce instead?
Hi Tim,
We haven’t tested this recipe with cheese sauce. It should work, but the taste and texture will be slightly altered. Please let us know how it goes if you do!
I used nacho cheese sauce mixed with pepper Jack and it works! Makes it very cheesy. Very delicious! I will be making this again!!
That’s awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Chris. I’m so glad that you enjoyed it.
Awesomely good!!! Easy and simple to make. Another use for grandparents cast iron skillets!!!!!
Thank you so much, Floyd! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
So dang yummy! So dang easy. Done in 30 mins or less. The onions give it a special flavor, as does the smoked sausage.
Thank you, Dana! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Made it tonight. Wouldn’t change a thing! So delicious!
Thank you so much, Kristine!
Great tasting combination! I am a bit lazy, so I substituted the homemade macaroni and cheese with Kraft mac & cheese and it was still delicious!
Thank you, Sandy! We’re glad it turned out well for you!
It was So nasty I would not make it again. Waste of food and time
The absolute best recipe I have found in years!!!
Thanks, Cindy. I’m so happy to hear that!
This is delicious. I will definitely make this again!
Thank you, Cheryl!
Ok, I’m a novice cook. But there are couple of ingredients on the list that say “8 ounces (about 2 cups). Isn’t a cup 8 ounces, so that would be 16 ounces for the recipe?? Thanks!
You’re correct with mot measurements, but pasta is lighter!
I don’t know if I did something wrong but the cheese is way too thick, almost gross to eat and I just feel like I’m eating grease
We’re sorry to hear this, Emma! This is one of our most popular recipes. Without having more information, it’s difficult to tell what could have gone wrong, but we’re happy to help troubleshoot if you ever want to try it out again! We hope you continue to enjoy our other recipes.
Oh WOW. I followed it exactly but with cheddar smoked sausage bc it’s what I had. The smoky flavor infuses throughout the whole dish and the cheese sauce is so creamy and satisfying! The Dutch oven gave it a special touch bc it saved all the good onion stuff that didn’t wipe out and added even more flavor, and we don’t like onions but don’t skip them I promise you’ll enjoy it! Definitely going in the rotation, thank you!
We’re so lad you enjoyed it, Renee! We will have to try it with the cheddar sausage, too.
yummy yumy trying this recipe today
We hope you enjoy, Gary!
So good, quick and super easy!
Thank you, Pam!