smoked sausage cheddar pasta

Smoked Sausage Cheddar Pasta: The One-Skillet Dinner That Ends the "What's for Dinner" Argument

Name: Smoked Sausage Cheddar Pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 16 ounces bowtie pasta; 14 ounces Petit Jean Meats smoked sausage; 1 onion (sliced thin); 3 garlic cloves (minced); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/4 cup butter; 1/4 cup all purpose flour; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaapoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper; 3 cups milk; 10 ounces cheddar cheese (shredded); 2 packages broccoli florets (9.5 ounce each frozen or fresh)

A creamy cheddar sauce, smoky sausage, and broccoli hiding in every bite, ready in about half an hour.

Dowell CooksAugust 7, 20265 min read Print this post

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A skillet of bow tie pasta coated in cheddar sauce with sausage and broccoli.

This is weeknight comfort food that doesn't ask you to think too hard about it.

Hey, welcome back to Dowell Cooks! If you need a dinner tonight that doesn't involve a grocery list a mile long or a sink full of dishes, this is it. One skillet, one pot for the pasta, and about 30 minutes stands between you and a bowl of cheesy, smoky, broccoli-studded goodness. My kind of Tuesday.

Overhead view of Bowtie Pasta, Smoked Sausage, Onion (Sliced Thin), Garlic Cloves (Minced), Olive Oil, Butter, All-Purpose Flour and Smoked Paprika arranged on a table — Sausage, cheddar, broccoli, and pasta laid out before cooking starts.

Mise en place

25 minutes, and you’re ready to cook.

Get everything sliced, minced, and measured before the skillet gets hot, this one moves fast once it starts.

Gather EquipmentGather a large pot, a large skillet, a colander, a whisk, a cutting board, a chef's knife, a box grater, measuring spoons, measuring cups, and a wooden spoon.
Preheat WaterFill a large pot with water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.
Prepare the Smoked SausageRemove the 14 oz smoked sausage from its casing if needed. Slice into 1/4 inch rounds and place in a prep container.
2 min
Prepare the OnionPeel and trim the onion. Slice thinly and place in a prep container.
2 min
Mince the GarlicPeel and mince the 3 garlic cloves finely. Place in a small prep container.
1 min
Prepare the BroccoliRinse the 19 oz broccoli florets and place in a prep container. Keep whole or cut into bite-sized florets if needed.
2 min
Shred the Cheddar CheeseShred the 10 oz cheddar cheese on the fine side of a box grater and place in a prep container.
2 min
Measure SpicesMeasure 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp black pepper into a small bowl and whisk together.
30s
Measure Liquids and Dry IngredientsMeasure 2 tbsp olive oil, ¼ cup butter, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, and 3 cups milk into separate prep containers or measuring vessels.
1 min
Stage IngredientsArrange all prepped containers near the stove in cooking order: sausage, onion, garlic, broccoli, cheese, spice mixture, olive oil, butter, flour, milk, and the boiling water pot.

Active time~25 min · hands-on

What you’ll need

Tools for this recipe.

Nothing fancy required, just the basics you probably already have out.

large pot
large skillet
colander
whisk
cutting board
chef's knife
box grater
measuring spoons
measuring cups
wooden spoon

How it actually comes together

You're basically building a béchamel and folding a whole dinner into it. Brown your sausage first so it leaves behind all that good fond, then sweat the onion and garlic right in the same skillet so they soak up every bit of that flavor. Melt the butter, whisk in the flour, and give it a real minute or two on the heat before you start streaming in the milk. That short pause is what keeps the sauce from tasting like wet flour later.

Cheddar is the backbone of the sauce, so it's worth knowing what plays nicest alongside it.

Pairs for Cheddar Cheese

OnionCheddar Cheese

Score 80

Shared aroma compounds and complementary structure.

Cheddar CheeseBroccoli

Score 75

Shared aroma compounds and complementary structure.

This dish is rich enough to stand completely on its own, but if you want to round out the table, something bright cuts through it nicely, like a simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette, or even just lemon wedges squeezed over the top at the last second. The acid wakes the whole plate up.

Slicing smoked sausage while preparing Smoked Sausage Cheddar Pasta — The roux going from butter and flour paste to a smooth, thickened sauce.

Smart swaps

Substitutions that still taste like the recipe.

Missing something in your fridge? Here's what works instead.

sausage

breakfast sausage
Shares aldehyde compounds with sausage
Italian sausage
Shares aldehyde compounds with sausage

cheddar cheese

pecorino↑ savory
Shares acid compounds with cheddar cheese — more savory
parmesan cheese
Shares ester compounds with cheddar cheese

broccoli

cauliflower
Shares sulfur compounds with broccoli
eggplant
Shares aldehyde compounds with broccoli

onion

shallot
Shares sulfur compounds with onion
leek
Shares sulfur compounds with onion

garlic

chives↓ savory
Shares sulfur compounds with garlic — less savory
leek↓ spicy
Shares sulfur compounds with garlic — less spicy

Common questions

Can I make this ahead of time?

You can, but the sauce is best fresh. If you reheat leftovers, add a splash of milk in the skillet over low heat to loosen the sauce back up since it thickens a lot in the fridge.

What pasta shape works best if I don't have bow ties?

Anything with ridges or a shape that catches sauce works well here, penne, rotini, or shells are all good stand-ins.

Can I use pre-shredded cheese to save time?

You can, but block cheese you shred yourself melts smoother. Pre-shredded cheese is coated to prevent clumping, and that coating keeps it from melting as cleanly into the sauce.

Is this recipe spicy?

Not really, the smoked paprika adds warmth and smoke rather than heat. If you want more kick, add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes with the paprika.

This is weeknight comfort food that doesn't ask you to think too hard about it. Sausage, cheese sauce, pasta, broccoli, one skillet, done. Go make it happen, and let me know how it turns out for you.

The recipe

Smoked Sausage Cheddar Pasta

Serves 430 minAmerican

The Quarterly

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