Cheesy Smoked Sausage and Pasta Skillet

One pan meals…what could be better?? Well, throw in the fact that it has pasta, and CHEESE…and you’ve got a winner! This little recipe is one my friend Teri shared with me that originally was adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Simple Recipes Cookbook. That’s quite a mouthful; but this dish is definitely a keeper. The recipe did call for pepper-jack cheese, which I swapped out for cheddar, and I added in zucchini, because…well, you know I’m always adding extra veggies to recipes. ;) It tasted great with the zucchini and boosted the nutrition.

So, let’s get cooking!

First, prepare your meat and vegetables by dicing the Vidalia onion, cubing the zucchini (approx. 1” cubes), and slicing the smoked sausage. Peel the garlic and mince, unless you’re using a garlic press when it's time to add it.

In a large skillet, sauté the onion and smoked sausage in the olive oil until onions are tender and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for about a minute.

Add the zucchini, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, milk or half & half, salt, and pepper.

Add the pasta and stir well. Cover and bring to a boil, then turn heat down to simmer for about 15 minutes, just until pasta is tender. Depending on what pasta you use, this could take slightly less time. I used egg noodles.

While it’s cooking, shred the cheese and slice the scallions if using them.

Now remove from heat and stir in ¾ c of the shredded cheese until melted. Sprinkle the remaining ½ c cheese on top and then the sliced scallions.

Serve and enjoy! ~TMMF



Cheesy Smoked Sausage and Pasta Skillet

1 Tbl olive oil
1 package smoked sausage
   (I used smoked turkey sausage)
1 small Vidalia onion
2 cloves garlic
1 small zucchini
1 ½ c chicken broth
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
½ c milk or half & half
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
8 oz small pasta (your choice)
1 ¼ c sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 c scallions (optional)