This creamy sausage and ricotta one-pot pasta tastes like lasagna without the layering. The pasta cooks directly in the sauce, soaking up all the flavor, while ricotta melts into creamy pockets throughout.
This tastes like something from a restaurant. I will make this again for sure!
- Amelia C.
Jump to:
I made it for sandwiches, then ended up eating it straight from the bowl. It’s creamy without being heavy, which is hard to pull off.
- Chris K.
bailey's thoughts ...
My grandma was 100% Italian. Born in Italy.
I would not have shared this recipe with her.
She made lasagna the right way. Fresh pasta, slow sauce, hours in the kitchen. I started with good intentions and somewhere along the way lost almost every qualification for calling this lasagna.
The noodles went first. If you're not layering, lasagna noodles are just annoying. Rigatoni dumps straight in. Lasagna without lasagna noodles. Sure, why not.
When I make a real lasagna, I mix the ricotta with egg, parsley, and Parmesan. Didn’t do that here. Just dolloped it straight on top. Those little pockets of creamy ricotta melting into the sauce are the best part of the whole dish.
Spinach, zucchini, and onion cook right into the dish. I add them so I don't have to make a side salad to fit the vegetables in.
One pot, 30 minutes. Serve it with good bread and a small bowl of warmed marinara for dipping. I use Rao's. I think it's better than grandma's.
She would really hate this recipe.
here's what you're getting
Italian sausage and rigatoni cooked together in one pot with tomatoes, zucchini, and spinach. The pasta soaks up everything as it cooks and the sauce gets rich and thick around it. Dollops of ricotta melt into little creamy pockets throughout. Mozzarella on top, fresh basil, done.
It tastes like lasagna. Not quite grandma's, but closer than it has any right to. Block cheese melts better and if you have an extra two minutes it's worth it. If not, shredded in the bag is fine. Portion the leftovers into individual containers and you have lunch and easy dinners covered for the rest of the week.
ingredients + substitutions
Italian sausage. Chicken sausage is the easiest swap. Look for it in links and squeeze it out, or buy it ground if you can find it.
Olive oil. Any neutral cooking oil works. Avocado oil is a great option.
Onion. Shallots work well. In a pinch, about a teaspoon of onion powder will do.
Garlic. Garlic powder works if you don't have fresh. Use about half a teaspoon.
Italian seasoning. A mix of dried oregano and dried basil works just as well.
Red pepper flakes. Skip it entirely if you don't want heat. A pinch of cayenne works too.
Diced tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes work fine and will give you a smoother sauce.
Chicken broth. Vegetable broth is an easy swap.
Rigatoni. Any short pasta works. Ziti, penne, or rotini. See the notes section above.
Zucchini. Yellow squash is the most natural swap. Chopped bell pepper works too.
Fresh spinach. Skip it if you don't have it. Nothing else works quite the same way.
Ricotta. No good sub here. It is the dish. Don't skip it.
Mozzarella. Provolone melts beautifully and has a similar mild flavor.
Parmesan. Pecorino Romano is the most natural swap.
Balsamic vinegar. A small splash of red wine vinegar works. Don't skip it entirely, it balances the sauce.
Fresh basil. Dried basil works in a pinch but use about a third of the amount. Fresh parsley is also a nice finish.
instructions
- Brown the sausage. Cook the Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it into small pieces as it browns. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Build the base. In the same skillet, soften the onion in olive oil, then add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant.
- Simmer the pasta. Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and dry pasta to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Add the vegetables. Stir in the zucchini and cook until just tender, then add the fresh spinach and stir until wilted.
- Return the sausage and finish the sauce. Add the cooked sausage back to the skillet and stir to combine, then stir in the balsamic vinegar.
- Melt the cheese and serve. Dollop ricotta across the surface of the pasta, then sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top. Cover and cook over low heat until the cheese is melted and bubbly, then finish with fresh basil before serving.
worth knowing
What kind of sausage? Hot or mild, both work. I use mild because Cruz already has opinions about dinner and I don't need to add heat to the list of problems. Buy it ground. You could squeeze it out of links but that's effort and also kind of gross.
Do not stir in the ricotta. I know it's tempting. Dollop it across the top and leave it alone. Stirred in it gets gritty. Left alone it melts into creamy little pockets throughout the pasta and that is the whole point of this dish.
Any short pasta works. Rigatoni is ideal but ziti, penne, or whatever short pasta you have is fine. The sauce is thick and you want something that holds up in it and is easy to get on a fork. Skip anything long and thin.
The leftovers are the point. This keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheats beautifully. You could cover the pan and stick it in the fridge, but I portion it into individual glass containers and it disappears. People eat what they can see. Absurd but true.
Gluten free. Swap in your favorite gluten free short pasta. Everything else is already gluten free. Worth noting that gluten free pasta can get gummy and may not reheat as well, so if leftovers are the point for you this week, regular pasta is the better call.
Dairy free. Use dairy free ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Dairy free cheese doesn't melt the same way so the creamy pockets won't be quite what they are with the real thing. Still good, just different.
storage
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The pasta will absorb some of the sauce as it sits, so add a splash of broth when reheating to bring it back together.
Freeze: I don't recommend freezing this one. The ricotta and mozzarella get grainy and watery once thawed and it's just not worth it.
Reheat: Warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of chicken broth or water, stirring occasionally until heated through. The microwave also works, just heat in 60-second intervals and stir between each.
Taste it. It should be tender with a little bite. If it's still firm, cover and cook for a few more minutes.
Taste it. It should be tender with a little bite. If it's still firm, cover and cook for a few more minutes.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these one-pan recipes:
- One-Pan Viral Dumpling Bake (Easy Weeknight Recipe)
- Quick Korean Beef Bowls
- Easy Sheet Pan Bang Bang Chicken with Crispy Rice
- 30 Minute Honey Dijon, Bacon, Chicken and Rice Bowls
- 20-Minute Bourbon Honey Chicken (Easy Recipe)
- One Pot Easy Sausage Potato Soup with Spinach
- 20-Minute Sausage Carbonara Pasta (Easy Recipe)
- Easy Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp Jambalaya
Recipe
Creamy Sausage and Ricotta One-Pot Pasta
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Creamy Sausage and Ricotta One-Pot Pasta is an easy weeknight dinner that cooks entirely in one pot in about 30 minutes. Italian sausage, tomatoes, and pasta simmer together to create a rich, flavorful sauce, while ricotta and mozzarella add a creamy, cheesy finish.
Ingredients
- Italian sausage (1 lb | 454g)
- olive oil (1 tablespoon | 15ml)
- onion (1 small, diced | 150g)
- garlic cloves (3 cloves, minced | 9g)
- Italian seasoning (1 teaspoon | 2g)
- red pepper flakes (¼ teaspoon | 0.5g)
- diced tomatoes (1 can, 28 oz | 794g)
- chicken broth (1½ cups | 360ml)
- short pasta (8 oz | 225g)
- zucchini (1 small, chopped | 150g)
- fresh spinach (2 large handfuls | 60g)
- ricotta cheese (¾ cup | 180g)
- shredded mozzarella cheese (1 cup | 113g)
- Parmesan cheese (½ cup grated | 50g)
- balsamic vinegar (1 teaspoon | 5ml)
- fresh basil (¼ cup chopped | 10g)
- salt (½ teaspoon | 3g)
- black pepper (¼ teaspoon | 1g)
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook Italian sausage (1 lb), breaking it into small pieces as it browns. Cook for about 5–6 minutes until fully cooked and lightly golden. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.
- Add olive oil (1 tbsp) to the same skillet if needed, then cook onion (1 small) for about 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic (3 cloves), Italian seasoning (1 tsp), and red pepper flakes (¼ tsp) and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in diced tomatoes (28 oz) and chicken broth (1½ cups), then stir in short pasta (8 oz). Season with salt (½ tsp)and black pepper (¼ tsp). Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Stir in zucchini (1 small) and cook for about 3 minutes until just tender. Add fresh spinach (2 large handfuls) and stir until wilted.
- Return the cooked Italian sausage (1 lb) to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Stir in balsamic vinegar (1 tsp) and mix well so it blends into the sauce.
- Dollop ricotta cheese (¾ cup) across the surface of the pasta in several spoonfuls so it melts into creamy pockets.
- Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese (1 cup) evenly over the skillet, followed by Parmesan cheese (½ cup).
- Cover the skillet and cook for 2–3 minutes over low heat until the mozzarella melts and the pasta is hot and bubbly.
- Finish by sprinkling fresh basil (¼ cup) over the top before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian American
Comments
No Comments