See my guide on how to use an Instant Pot.


Cheesy, saucy and brimming with flavor, this One Pot Pasta is a weeknight favorite for good reason. You’ll need only 5 ingredients and 30 minutes to get this delicious dish on your dinner table.

You might also enjoy these one pot pasta recipes: Homemade Hamburger Helper, Cajun Chicken Pasta and Chicken Asparagus Pasta.

One pot pasta with sausage in a skillet with a wooden spoon.

When I have a particularly busy day but still want to get a home-cooked meal on our table, I often turn to this easy one pot pasta recipe. It’s made with Italian sausage, penne pasta, marinara sauce and cheese, for a simple meal that’s so satisfying. I love cooking with Italian sausage because it brings lots of delicious flavor with very little effort.

Cooking the pasta right in the skillet with the sauce and sausage infuses every bite with flavor, right from the start. Plus, you’ll only have one pan to clean up at the end, which is always a nice bonus!

Pasta with sausage served in a small bowl.

I made this last night and it’s delicious! I love how everything cooks up nicely in one pan. Easy, quick, weeknight recipe that I will definitely use again.

Jill

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients for one pot pasta recipe.
  • Italian Sausage: Chicken, pork or turkey sausage all work well here. My favorite type to use in this recipe is mild Italian chicken sausage.
  • Bell Pepper: I add one chopped bell pepper to sneak in some extra veggies. Use any color of bell pepper that you have on hand – red, yellow, orange or green!
  • Penne Pasta: You can use either whole wheat or white penne pasta.
  • Marinara Sauce: You’ll need one 25 ounce jar of marinara sauce.
  • Mozzarella Cheese: To sprinkle on top, because there’s nothing better than pasta topped with gooey melted cheese!

Find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

A Note About the Sauce

While I love this homemade Marinara Sauce recipe, I often make this one pot pasta recipe when I’m short on time and store-bought sauce is such a time-saver. I recommend using a jar of your favorite, good quality marinara sauce in this recipe. Since the pasta cooks in the skillet with the sauce, it absorbs some of the sauce and its flavor along with it.

How to Make One Pot Pasta

Cook the sausage in a large skillet, breaking it up with a spoon, until it’s no longer pink.

Add the chopped bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes, until softened.

Cooked, crumbled sausage and chopped yellow bell pepper in skillet with a wooden spoon.

Add the pasta and marinara sauce to the skillet. Fill the empty marinara sauce jar with water and pour it into the skillet. The water provides extra liquid to cook the pasta and it will be absorbed as the pasta cooks.

Pasta, marinara sauce and water added to skillet with sausage.

Bring to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 18-22 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is cooked to al dente. Stir the pasta every 5 minutes or so to help it cook evenly and to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Sprinkle on the shredded mozzarella cheese. Then you can either place the lid back on the skillet (off the heat) and let it rest for a few minutes until the trapped heat melts the cheese, or you can pop the skillet under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to melt and brown the cheese. (Just make sure that your skillet is oven safe and broiler safe.)

One pot pasta in a skillet.

What to Serve with One Pot Pasta

If you’d like to make a similar recipe to this one pot pasta in the Instant Pot, try my Instant Pot Pasta with Sausage.

One pot pasta in a skillet.
5 from 7 ratings

One Pot Pasta

Servings: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
This One Pot Pasta is made with flavorful Italian sausage, marinara sauce and melty cheese. This easy recipe comes together in 30 minutes with just a handful of ingredients. Serve it with bread and a salad for a delicious meal!

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound uncooked mild Italian sausage, chicken, pork, etc.
  • 1 bell pepper, any color
  • 12 ounces penne pasta, (¾ of a 1 pound box)
  • 25 ounce jar marinara sauce
  • 1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Remove sausage from casings (if needed) and add to the skillet. Cook sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink.
  • Meanwhile, chop bell pepper into small pieces. Add the bell pepper to the skillet with the sausage and cook for 2 minutes to soften.
  • Add the pasta and marinara to the skillet. Then fill the empty marinara sauce jar to the top with water and pour the water into the skillet as well. Stir.
  • Bring to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 18-22 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and pasta is tender. Stir the pasta every 5 minutes or so to help it cook evenly and to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  • Sprinkle with the grated mozzarella cheese. Optional: Place skillet in oven under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to melt the cheese, if desired. If you don't want to use the broiler, you can remove the skillet from the heat and let the pasta rest with the lid on for a few minutes to melt the cheese. Serve and enjoy!
Serving: 1/6 recipe, Calories: 463kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 65mg, Sodium: 1453mg, Potassium: 535mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 1489IU, Vitamin C: 35mg, Calcium: 176mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Main Course, One Pot
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