Quick & Easy Pasta Sausage Dinner Recipe

This pasta Italian sausage dinner recipe is a simple dish with only 4 major ingredients. This is a supper that you can have on the table in a half hour, or even less. It’s delicious with a balance of pleasing textures and robust flavors. This recipe is a filling crowd-pleaser that is sure to be a favorite with your pasta and sausage lovers alike.

This meal combines cooked rotini pasta with sliced and browned Italian sausage. Add your favorite flavorful pasta sauce and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese, and viola! Your Italian sausage dinner recipe is ready to serve. Add a few tasty veggie sides and the family is well fed and satisfied.

Italian sausage recipes are delicious and so versatile. Italian bulk or link sausage is very easy to incorporate into recipes for more robust flavor and sustenance.

For example, We use a blend of hamburger and bulk Italian sausage for the sauce meat in our five cheese lasagna. And my mom’s homemade tomato sauce is stellar and simple. When combined with the other sauce ingredients, the flavors of that sauce is just amazing.

What’s a Good Side Dish for Italian Sausages?

When you pair Italian sausage with pasta go for the lighter veggie sides or salads for a well balanced meal. Here’s a few ideas for sides that will work great with this pasta sausage dinner.

1. Roasted Vegetables: Roast a medley of colorful vegetables such as zucchini, bell peppers, eggplant, and mushrooms.
2. Caprese Salad Bites: Slide the fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil leaves onto picks. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. It’s a refreshing and light side dish.
3. Italian Chopped Salad: Prepare the salad while your pasta is boiling. Toss everything together and refrigerate until needed.
4. Spinach Salad: This is a fresh, tasty salad with bacon and avocados and a fantastic homemade dressing. Our Kale Apple salad is also a great green salad choice with a honey dressing to die for.

If you’re looking for side dishes for a sausage dinner recipe that doesn’t already have a heavy carb, the choices are really limitless. Drag out of the freezer a bag of fresh frozen kernel corn. Or, potatoes are always an excellent side with sausages. Make a nice pasta salad, we have several linked at the bottom of this post.

And it you need more ideas on how to cook your sausage into a delicious dinner or breakfast, take a look at your sausage recipes under the Printable recipe card.

Simple Pasta Sausage Dinner Recipe:

This is one of those simple 30 minutes dinners that are perfect for a night when everything changes and you have to pull stuff out of the pantry and whip up something quick. Or when you’re not in the mood to cook.

This is also a great recipe for supervised junior cooks. They can help with different parts of the meal prep or cooking depending on their age and skills.

Substitutions and ways to change up this recipe:

There are only four main ingredients in this recipe and they can be easily adjusted to fit what’s in your cupboard and fridge.

Pasta Substitutions:

Our of rotini pasta? You can substitute with other short pasta shapes like penne, fusilli, or macaroni. Just remember to follow the package instructions closely and cook all pasta to al dente. This means cook it until the pasta is cooked and tender but slightly firm. If you over cook the pasta it will get mushy.

Sausage Substitutions:

If you don’t have Italian sausage, you can use other types of sausages, Some good choices are chorizo, bratwurst, or low fat chicken or turkey sausage. Adjust the seasonings accordingly to complement the different sausage flavors. And remember chorizo is pretty spicy and will turn the dish somewhat orange.

Sauce Substitutions:

If you don’t have vodka sauce or marinara sauce, you can improvise a simple sauce by combining canned tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes with herbs like basil, oregano, and garlic. You might need a small can of tomato paste to thicken it up but the pasta will absorb some of the liquids. Adjust the seasoning to taste, or add a splash of cream for a creamy texture.

Cheese Substitutions:

If you’re out of fresh Parmesan cheese, you can substitute with grated Romano or Pecorino cheese. If you prefer a milder flavor, you can use shredded mozzarella or a combination of mozzarella and cheddar. its this dinner a pepper jack would also work well grated or even a mild Colby cheese can work in this dinner.

Vegetable Additions:

Add some extra vegetables to the dish. Sautéed bell peppers, onions, or mushrooms work well with the flavors of the sausage and sauce.

Here are some tips for making this pasta sausage dinner:

This recipe is very simple, but a few tips will help you bring it to the table at its best.

1. Cook Pasta Al Dente: When cooking the rotini pasta, make sure to cook it al dente, which means it should be firm to the bite. This prevents the pasta from becoming mushy when combined with the sauce and sausage later on.
2. Choose Quality Sausage: Opt for high-quality Italian sausage for the best flavor. Look for sausages that are well-seasoned and have a good balance of spices. You can choose mild or spicy sausages based on your preference.
3. Brown the Sausage: This is important ! When cooking the sausage, ensure it is nicely browned on the outside. Browning adds flavor and creates a pleasant texture. Make sure to stir occasionally to cook the sausage evenly.
4. Use Flavorful Sauce: Whether using a good vodka sauce or you own homemade marinara sauce, choose a flavorful and well-balanced sauce. If using store-bought sauce, I recommend adding additional herbs, spices, or a splash of wine to enhance the flavors.
5. Don’t Overcook the Pasta in Sauce: After adding the cooked pasta to the sauce and sausage mixture, cook it for an additional 5 minutes. This allows the pasta to absorb some of the flavors but prevents it from becoming overcooked. Stir gently to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce.
6. Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese Before Serving: Just before serving the dish, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the pasta and sauce. The cheese adds a delicious nutty flavor and a hint of saltiness. Adjust the amount of cheese based on your preference.
7. Garnish and Serve: Consider garnishing the dish with chopped parsley or crushed red pepper flakes for extra flavor, texture and eye appeal. Serve the pasta sausage dinner while it’s still hot for the best taste.

Our Printable Sausage Dinner Recipe:

Now you have some ideas for sides, substitutions and tips for this recipe. Please enjoy making it and be sure to stamp your personal signature on this dish. Then come back here and tell how you changed it up to make this sausage dinner recipe a perfect fit for you and your family. Happy Cooking!

More Delicious Easy Sausage Recipes For Dinner and Breakfast:

Enjoy these sausage recipes for dinner, breakfast and even at parties. Sausage can be part of a delicious healthy meal or wildly indulgent. Spicy chorizo or mild Italian sausage dinner recipes are going to appeal to different palates.

Homemade sausage recipes are so fun to make since you can tweak them and make them just the way your family enjoys them. Use Jimmy Dean, chorizo or Italian sausage in either bulk or link form depending on the recipe and what you want to do with it. We’ve got a bit of everything here for you. There is sure to be something for everyone in this line up of best sausage recipes ever.

Pasta Recipes:

We just love pasta and have a Ton of pasta recipes. Here is a short list of some of our recent additions to our pasta menu. Be sure to search for pasta in the search bar or look by the pasta type you want.

• Creamy Ranch Pasta Pea Salad
• Twisted Caprese Tortellini Pasta Salad
• Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
• Mediterranean Pasta Salad
• Italian Pasta salad
• Three Cheese Pasta Chicken Bake