A 30 minute one pan wonder. Packed full of flavor, this easy weeknight recipe will have them asking for more.

A skinny version of an American Test Kitchen recipe from their The Best Simple Recipes cookbook. I first saw this on Keven & Amanda. They had cut back the pasta some and that seem like a good idea. I used turkey sausage and substituted low fat sour cream for the heavy cream. I just can not bring myself to use something called heavy cream.

Start with some cut up sausage of your choice. I just routinely use turkey sausage. Great taste and lower fat. No need for an unhealthy choice.  Brown it up with some onion, Add chicken broth, RoTel, sour cream and spices. Bring to a boil and add uncooked pasta. Simmer until pasta is tender. Mix in a little cheese. Top with more cheese and brown under a broiler. You are in taste bud heaven.

Rating:

High 4 or low 5. I have had too many 5's so I will go with a 4.

Notes: One thing I really like about this recipe is cooking the pasta with the spicy liquid. I think too many recipes have you cook pasta and then cook it again in the dish. That is why a lot of dishes have pasta the texture of a school lunch. You deserve more.

The original recipe used chorizo. I don't have a good source and really this was 6/10 spicy already. If you are spicy adverse(IE wimpy), replace the RoTel with a can of diced tomatoes and drain the liquid.

Preheat 2 t oil over medium high heat in a large oven save pan. (Opps, picture with regular sour cream but low fat was used)

Chop one medium onion and 1 pound of sausage of your choice into 1/4 inch medallions. I used Butterball Smoked Sausage.

Add the onion and sausage to the pan

Cook until onion is clearing nicely and sausage is browning. About 5 minutes. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and cook another 30 seconds.

Add 1 - 14 oz can chicken broth, 1 - 10 1/2 oz can RoTel, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 t salt and 1/2 t pepper. Mix well. Add 8 oz.(2 cups) of dry pasta of your choice.

Bring to a boil with medium high heat then decrease heat to low. Cover and simmer. Stir occasionally and cook until pasta is tender. About 15 minutes. If you are approaching the end point for the pasta and too much fluid is present, uncover and increase heat to medium high for the last few minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese and mix in.

Sprinkle 1 cup of Jack cheese on top.

Place under broiler until cheese in melted an browning some.

Garnish with chopped green onions if desired.

30 Minute Spicy Sausage Pasta

By Dan Mikesell September 28 2013

A 30 minute one pan wonder. Packed full of flavor, this easy weeknight recipe will have them asking for more.

Ingredients

• 1 pound sausage of choice (I used turkey smoked sausage)
• 1 Medium onion chopped medium
• 2 t oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced or crushed
• 1 - 14 oz can chicken broth
• 1 - 10 1/2 oz can RoTel
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t pepper
• 8 oz. dry pasta of choice
• 1 1/2 cup shredded Monteray Jack Cheese
• 2 green onion sliced to garnish optional

Instructions

1. Preheat 2 t oil over medium high heat in a large oven save pan.
2. Chop one medium onion and 1 pound of sausage of your choice into 1/4 inch medallions. I used Butterball Smoked Sausage.
3. Add the onion and sausage to the pan. Cook until onion is clearing nicely and sausage is browning. About 5 minutes.
4. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and cook another 30 seconds.
5. Add 1 - 14 oz can chicken broth, 1 - 10 1/2 oz can RoTel, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 t salt and 1/2 t pepper. Mix well. Add 8 oz.(2 cups) of dry pasta of your choice.
6. Bring to a boil with medium high heat then decrease heat to low. Cover and simmer. Stir occasionally and cook until pasta is tender. About 15 minutes. If you are approaching the end point for the pasta and too much fluid is present, uncover and increase heat to medium high for the last few minutes.
7. Add 1/2 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese and mix in. Sprinkle 1 cup of Jack cheese on top.
8. Place under broiler until cheese in melted an browning some.
9. Garnish with chopped green onions if desired.

Yield:4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Updated
October 27 2013 Dan Mikesell