Take the stress out of dinner prep with this fast and fresh recipe for One Pot Pasta with Italian Sausage.

Life has been a whirlwind around here lately, and I am not complaining one bit! Now that I have two little boys (both under age 2!), I am all about minimizing stress and maximizing meal prep. And it doesn’t get much easier, tastier or more satisfying than a big ol’ bowl of One Pot Pasta with Italian Sausage.

This recipe is everything you need in a hearty meal that can be tweaked and customized based on whatever you can find in your fridge or pantry. All you need is this basic recipe template (and a large appetite and/or a desire for freezable leftovers):

1. Pick Your Protein: I’ve opted for Italian sausage, but ground beef, ground turkey, ground pork or even ground chicken would work.

2. Select Your Sauce: Homemade or store-bought marinara both do the trick, but if you’re feeling like taking things up a notch, can I interest you in my DIY vodka sauce?

3. Know Your Noodles: Any variety of noodle will work, but I favor a sturdier shape that can stand up to a meaty ragù, such as rigatoni, cavatappi or penne.

And that right there is the result! The real beauty of this dish is that the noodles cook directly in the sauce, so there’s no waiting on a pot of water coming to a boil. The simmering sauce thickens into a hearty ragù, and all that’s left to do is add a few halved mini mozzarella balls and freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Ready to get cooking? I’ve teamed up with Williams Sonoma and Scanpan to bring you the video below. Tune in to see me whip up this One Pot Pasta with Italian Sausage.

And if you’re feeling extra fancy, complete your feast with a hot loaf of my go-to Secret Ingredient Cheesy Garlic Bread!

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