Smoked Sausage Pasta

4.88 from 25 votes

Sliced smoked sausage and tender broccoli get tossed with a from-scratch cheddar and gouda sauce for a full dinner in one skillet! It is ready in about 30 minutes, with no canned soup and no boxed mix.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword hillshire farms smoked sausage recipes with pasta, smoked sausage and pasta, smoked sausage pasta, smoked sausage recipes with pasta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings 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 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.

Video

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.

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