Name: One Pot Creamy Shells and Sausage
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tsp olive oil; 1 pound mild Italian sausage; 1 small white onion, diced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes; 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1 (24 ounce) jar pasta sauce; 1 pound pasta shells; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1/2 cup Parmesan; fresh basil, for serving

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Quick and easy comfort food! One Pot Creamy Shells and Sausage is a kid-friendly dinner that will be ready in about 30 minutes. Pasta shells and Italian sausage in a creamy pasta sauce with Parmesan cheese.

One Pot Creamy Shells & Sausage - the best comfort food! Pasta shells and Italian sausage in a creamy pasta sauce with Parmesan cheese.

One pot meals are the best for busy nights. Not only are they quick and easy, but cleaning up just one pot is better than cleaning up a bunch of pots!

Some of our favorites are One Pot Cheeseburger Mac, Turkey Goulash, and this One Pot Creamy Shells and Sausage!

This one pot meal comes together in about 30 minutes and it’s so delicious! It has pasta shells and Italian sausage in a creamy red sauce with Parmesan cheese!

Making of One Pot Creamy Shells and Sausage

Ingredients

Olive oil
Mild Italian sausage – you can use hot Italian sausage if you want a little bit more spice.
White onion
Garlic
Salt
Crushed red pepper flakes
Low-sodium chicken broth – if you use regular chicken broth, taste it before seasoning with salt.
Pasta sauce – use your favorite jarred or homemade pasta sauce.
Pasta shells
Heavy cream
Parmesan
Fresh basil

Instructions

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot.
Remove sausage from casings into pan. Add onion. Cook, breaking up the sausage, until sausage is cooked through and onion is translucent. Drain off all but about 1 teaspoon fat.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant, only about 30 seconds.
Add salt, crushed red pepper flakes, chicken broth, and pasta sauce.
Bring to a boil and add pasta shells.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until pasta is cooked and liquid is mostly absorbed, about 12 – 13 minutes.
Stir in heavy cream.
Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese until melted.
Top with fresh basil before serving.

How Long Is It Good For?

One Pot Creamy Shells and Sausage will be good for about 3 days in the refrigerator. Make sure to store it in an airtight container – these glass containers are my favorite for everything because they are super airtight.

Can You Freeze Sausage Pasta?

Yes, you can freeze this pasta! Make sure to let it cool completely and then transfer it to an airtight freezer-safe container like a freezer ziploc bag. It will be good in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When you are ready to serve it, defrost overnight in the fridge and then reheat on the stove or microwave. If the sauce has thickened up too much, a splash or chicken broth or water will get it back to it’s original consistency.

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Recipe

Yield: about 8 servings