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Close overhead shot of a blue bowl full of cheesy smoked sausage pasta with broccoli
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4.82 from 16 votes

Cheesy Smoked Sausage Pasta with Broccoli

You can't beat the ease of this creamy and cheesy Smoked Sausage Pasta for a 30-minute dinner that the whole family will love!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword skillet mac and cheese, smoked sausage pasta
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 705kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

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 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.
  • While the pasta and broccoli are cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the sausage rounds and the diced onion. Cook, stirring regularly, until the sausage is browned and the onion is tender, about 5-7 minutes. Remove sausage and onions from the skillet and set aside on a plate. Wipe out the skillet.
  • Add butter to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the butter melts. 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; add the cheddar, gouda, and dry mustard; stir until the cheeses melt. Add cooked macaroni, broccoli, sausage and onion back to the skillet; toss to combine. Garnish with parsley.

Notes

  • To cut down on the prep time, I like to get the pasta boiling while I prepare the rest of the ingredients (such as grating the cheese and browning the sausage and onion). Then, as the pasta finishes cooking, you can whisk together the cheese sauce. This way the pasta isn't sitting around getting cold while you prepare the sauce, and everything comes together quickly at the end.
  • Salt the water before boiling your pasta. This is your chance to season the pasta for a flavorful dish!
  • It's important to use blocks of cheese that you grate by hand. Do not use pre-shredded cheese in a package, because those packaged shredded cheeses include a powdery coating with stabilizers that prevent the cheese from melting smoothly.
  • The recipe calls for sharp cheddar cheese and smoked gouda, but you can use just about any good melting cheeses that you prefer. For instance, mild cheddar, gruyere, fontina, Colby, and Monterey Jack would all work well. You can even throw in some (gasp!) American cheese -- good old Velveeta! -- if that's what your family enjoys.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the recipe | Calories: 705kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 996mg | Potassium: 459mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 958IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 499mg | Iron: 2mg