One Pot Penne Pasta Recipe
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This One Pot Penne Pasta recipe is made with sausage, red peppers, and spinach and ready in 15 minutes, making this pasta recipe a weeknight favorite recipe!
It’s a busy weeknight and if I haven’t planned ahead, I start to think about what’s for supper. It’s a question I know we all ask ourselves all the time!
These are times I am happy to remember this One Pot Penne Pasta. I am always thankful that it’s such a quick and easy recipe. And my family absolutely loves it!
This is one of those pasta recipes that you throw everything into the pot and everything cooks together like magic. It also means there is only one pot to wash, one pot to dry, and one pot to put away. I love recipes like that!
One Pot Penne Pasta Recipe
The flavor combination is out of this world delicious and one that I think you’ll enjoy, too!
How to Make One Pot Penne Pasta
You can customize the ingredients to your preference, but I use these ingredients in this recipe.
Ingredients
- Smoked Sausage – Since it is already cooked and smoked, it adds so much flavor to this pasta recipe in a short amount of time. I like to slice the smoked sausage into bite-sized pieces to help it heat through even more quickly, but also for ease when served.
- Onion – Diced onion is delicious in this dish, but can easily be omitted if you do not enjoy onions.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic is minced and included in this pasta recipe. If you do not enjoy garlic, you can omit.
- Mushrooms – You can use either white or portobello sliced fresh mushrooms in this recipe or you can even use sliced mushrooms in the jar that have been drained.
- Penne Pasta – Penne works well in this recipe, but you could use another tube shaped, sturdy type of pasta if you don’t have penne on hand, such as ziti or rigatoni.
- Chicken Stock – Homemade chicken stock is always my preference, but you can use an unsalted store-bought.
- Roasted Red Peppers – Use jarred roasted red peppers in this recipe and include the liquid from the jar for all of that delicious flavor in the finished pasta dish!
- Cheeses – Use both Monterey Jack cheese and Parmesan cheese
- Fresh Spinach – Fresh baby spinach is perfect in this recipe. Since you add the cheeses and the spinach while the pasta is hot, the spinach will become tender and will wilt into the dish.
Not only is this dish full of incredible flavor, it makes a delicious, quick and easy pasta recipe!
Step by Step Instructions
- To make this one pot pasta, add the sausage, onions, garlic, and mushrooms to the pot first.
- Once your onions become tender, toss in the penne pasta, add the chicken stock and the jar of roasted red peppers with the liquid from the jar, and cover the pot for about 5 to 8 minutes. This allows the penne pasta to cook quickly and become tender.
- Remove the lid, stir and continue to cook until penne pasta is al dente or reaches the amount of tenderness you prefer.
- Finally, stir in the fresh spinach and cheeses until well combined, and the spinach is tender.
- Then serve and enjoy!
Believe me, this has become one of my favorite staple recipes! It is so easy and delicious and a dish my family loves!
More Favorite Pasta Recipes
Here’s my simple One Pot Penne Pasta recipe. It’s a keeper!
One Pot Penne Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into bite sized slices
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 3 cups penne pasta, uncooked
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 (10-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, undrained
- 2 cups monterey jack cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups spinach
Instructions
- Add sausage, onions, garlic, and mushrooms to a medium pot over medium heat. Cook until onions are slightly tender, stirring often. Add in penne pasta, chicken stock, roasted red peppers, along with the liquid from the jar. Stir to combine and cover for about 5-8 minutes. Remove lid, stir and continue to cook until penne pasta is al dente or at the amount of tenderness you prefer.
- Stir in the cheeses and fresh spinach until well combined and the spinach is tender. Serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Originally published 2014.
I love this recipe and have made it a few times…and absolutely LOVE it!
I have a work potluck coming up soon and wonder if I made a double batch of this the day before could I transfer to a crock pot and keep warm…
Has anyone tried this before?
Thanks – Megan
Hi Megan,
For the best results, you will want to cook pasta separately, make the rest of dish then add cooked pasta to end in crock pot. Thanks!
So yummy and quick to make. I substituted the spinach for broccoli. Next time I will add some shrimp and chicken. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks so much, Michelle! xo
I made this for dinner today and it is absolutely delicious. Thank you so much for the recipe. I be definitely making this again
Wonderful to hear, Joanna! Thanks!
If I can’t find fresh spinach what would you suggest? Will frozen work?
It should work fine, Shannon. Just be sure thaw and drain the extra water from the spinach before adding to dish. Enjoy! Thanks!
This was so good! Before dinner the husband said he wasn’t hungry. He ended up having 3 plates! And it’s pretty too boot! I read in other comments that their dishes turned out a bit watery. I had to add more chicken broth because mine was too thick. I guess the thickness of the sauce depends on which way the wind blows, but it’s easy enough to fix. This recipe is definitely going to be in our dinner rotation. And it’s so easy to make, I think I will make this for my next pot luck!
Yay, Tina! So happy you and your husband enjoyed it! Thanks! xo
I made your One Pot Penne Pasta recipe and absolutely loved it. Definitely a “keeper”. I do have one question. For the Parmesan cheese, what kind do you use? I happened to have some fresh Parmesan shavings on hand and used them but wanted to know what you prefer to use. Thanks!
Has anyone used cooked chicken in place of sausage?
Can I add the bacon and sliced potatoes or maybe broccoli instead of sausage?
I prefer them 🙂
Doesn’t the pasta get gooey or starch tasting cooking everything together?
It hasn’t for me.
This was great! I don’t like spinach well cooked, so I mixed into the pot after pressure was released just until wilted. I also used 6 cups of spinach because we love it!
Oh yum! I love, love, love spinach, too so I’ll have to give your amount a try next time. xo