Cheesy Bowtie Pasta & Smoked Sausage – Quick One Skillet Meal

A one-skillet meal that comes together quickly and results in a filling and flavor-packed cheesy smoked sausage and bowtie pasta dinner.

This meal is a staple in our household. It’s a favorite of my kids and one I like to keep on rotation. It uses only a few basic pantry staples, and it’s a great way to incorporate some of our homegrown canned diced tomatoes into our meals.

It’s made using bowtie pasta, otherwise known as farfalle to you more fancy types. However, you can use any type of pasta that you have on hand. It’s actually a great meal to use up a variety of any leftover pasta you have sitting in your pantry. (Just be sure to adjust the cooking time for any pasta that cooks faster than farfalle.)

The protein source for the meal is smoked sausage. Often, we use beef smoked sausage, but you can use whatever type you prefer. Or really change the meal up and try using ground sausage instead.

The meal cooks all in one skillet or pot, which makes it really nice for busy weeknights. Besides, I love only having the one dish to clean up when the meal is over!

How To make Cheesy Bowtie Pasta & Smoked Sausage

*Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see the full recipe, including exact measurements and amounts. You can also print out the instructions. I go into a bit more detail about the recipe here first, just in case you need it.

You can cook this one-pan meal either using a very large skillet or a Dutch oven. (My husband refinished my newer 12″ cast iron skillet from Lodge, and now it works just like the antique ones. Product Link: Lodge 12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet)

I have done both methods, and while I prefer the 12″ cast iron skillet, a Dutch oven also does just fine. Just make sure you have a lid for whatever cooking item you are using.

Ingredients  

• Oil – You need some type of cooking oil for the sausage and onions to initially cook in. I usually use either vegetable oil, tallow, or olive oil.
• Smoked Sausage – You can use any type of smoked sausage that you prefer. Our favorite to use is the Beef Smoked Sausage by Hillshire Farms.
• Onion – White or yellow onion is the best choice for this meal.
• Garlic – Use minced garlic and measure with your heart. (I’m a huge garlic fan here, so I tend to be a bit heavy-handed on the amounts and usually go over!)
• Chicken Broth – The broth is used instead of straight water to provide a bit of extra flavor to the pasta as it cooks.
• Diced Tomatoes – Use either a can of diced tomatoes or a pint jar of homemade canned tomatoes. Do not drain the liquid, whichever type you use.
• Milk – You can use either milk or half and half for the sauce. The half and half will make it a bit creamier and richer in flavor.
• Bowtie Pasta – You might see it called either bowtie pasta or farfalle. However, you can use any smaller pasta.
• Salt and Pepper – Salt and pepper are really the only seasonings you need here. Start with a lower amount of salt because you can always add more after it is cooked. The sausage and cheese will both add a bit of salt to the meal, so keep that in mind. Just taste before adding more at the end of cooking.
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese – You can also use Mexican cheese or any other of your favorite shredded cheese mixtures.

Instructions For Cheesy Bowtie Pasta & Smoked Sausage

Start by heating your oil over medium heat in whatever cooking device you choose. I typically use tallow or vegetable oil, but olive oil works just fine as well.

While the oil is warming up, slice up the smoked sausage into disc shapes that are about half an inch thick. If desired, cut the discs in half so they look like little half moons. (Sometimes I do this, sometimes I don’t.)

If needed, also dice up the onion while you have the cutting board out. If you aren’t using pre-minced garlic, get that minced up as well.

Kitchen Shortcut Tip: I like to dice up a couple of whole onions when they are on sale and freeze them in 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup quantities. I can then just grab a bag in whatever quantity I need when it’s time for cooking. It saves me a little time in the kitchen on the day of cooking, which is always welcome!

Add The Ingredients

Once the oil is nice and hot, carefully add the smoked sausage and diced onions to the skillet or Dutch oven. Cook both, stirring often, until the sausage has started to brown and the onions have turned translucent.

Next, add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Lastly, add the broth, tomatoes, milk, pasta, and seasonings. (Everything but the shredded cheese.) Stir until the ingredients are well distributed.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Try to make it so that as much of the pasta is covered by the liquid as possible for even cooking.

Reduce heat, cover with a lid, and let simmer for 15 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. If you used a different pasta than bowtie, the cooking time might be slightly different. Stir the mixture once about halfway through cooking to allow all the pasta a chance to cook evenly.

When the pasta is cooked, turn off the oven and remove the pan from the heat. There will still be a bit of liquid left when the pasta is done. It will mix together with the melted cheese in the next step and help to make the creamy cheese sauce.

Before serving, stir in the shredded cheese and mix until it is completely melted. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy!

Until next time, thanks for stopping by!
– Chelsea

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