Simple Sausage & Parmesan Pasta Skillet

A quick meal with a short ingredient list, this Simple Sausage & Parmesan Pasta Skillet is seasoned to flavor perfection. It’s a simple dinner with big flavor, keeping things light & easy on busy nights!

I know, I know, we’ve talked before about Summer and meals- mostly about how they change. Obviously things get easier, by design, and require a whole lot less heat.

Another thing that changes? My kids’ activity level and what they need to eat to accommodate that.

This means a lot more healthy snacks, and honestly- more pasta to give them that energy boost they need.

I kid you not, there are days on end where it seems like all my boys do is run. And run. And run some more.

The kids would happily live off of buttered noodles, mac and cheese, and the always popular ramen noodles for lunch and dinner, too.

I just can’t handle that much pasta, or the same things day in and day out.

I mean we have spaghetti, and I need a month break in between putting it back on the weekly menu.

Luckily, we’ve found lots of different ways to enjoy pasta over the years, and different ways to incorporate it into meals. Meals fitting for different seasons too.

In the Winter, we love heavier pasta dishes. Think things sauce laden and with thick, creamy cheese sauces.

In the Spring & Summer, especially for supper, I tend to keep things lighter. More oil tossed, with just a few key ingredients. Simple, but filling, and something the whole family can agree on.

This Simple Sausage & Parmesan Pasta Skillet checks all those boxes. For such a quick and easy dish, with only a few ingredients, our friends are always pleasantly surprised with how much flavor is in each & every bite.

Ingredients Needed For This Sausage & Parmesan Pasta Skillet:

• pasta
• Italian sausage
• garlic
• white wine
• salt & pepper
• red pepper flakes
• green onions
• Parmesan cheese
• mozzarella cheese

So simple, it’s probably a bit shocking to some. I mean, it only has 7 ingredients + a drizzle of olive oil & some seasonings you’re guaranteed to always have on hand.

The title doesn’t lie when it says it’s ‘simple’. Don’t let the simplicity deceive you though, or you’ll miss out on something truly special.

How To Make This Sausage & Parmesan Pasta Skillet, Step By Step:

1. A pound of ground Italian sausage is cooked with some minced garlic, before being drained and returned to the skillet.
2. White wine is stirred in and simmered until cooked off.
3. Add to that freshly ground black pepper, salt to taste, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
4. A bunch of thinly sliced green onions is mixed in next, cooking just until wilted.
5. One pound of your favorite small shape pasta, cooked to al dente & drained, is added to the skillet with a drizzle of olive oil.
6. Stir it all together with a blend of shredded mozzarella and Parmensan cheeses.

That’s it, you can take your apron off. Dinner is done. I know this recipe’s simple, but I’ve been making it regularly since the Hubs & I first got married. It began as one of those fast fix, cheap eats on our newly wed budget. It’s since turned into a classic, family favorite. It’s a regular on our menu, and something the kids crave for special occasions.

Suffice it to say, we’ve made this meal many, many times over the last 13 or so years. Making something over and over, you learn how to cut corners in good ways and other tidbits that enhance the whole experience. So before you dive into this recipe, check out our short list of tips and tricks to help make your best version of this simple pasta recipe.

TIPS & TRICKS:

• The recipe as shown features radiatorre shaped pasta. However, any small shaped pasta would work well. You want to stick with a smaller shape though, because the cheese adheres to it will. Also with the crumbled sausage, it means a little bit of everything in each bite.
• While I highly recommend using the green onions as instructed, in a pinch I’ve subbed thinly sliced leeks as well. It’s still a very tasty dish, just without that tangy bite of onion I crave.
• Any olive oil will work, but extra virgin olive oil will yield the best resulting flavor.
• I like mozzarella, and recommend using it because of it’s great melting point. It acts as a great binding agent, bringing the whole dish together. However, you can sub all Parmesan instead if you’d prefer.
• White wine, or white cooking wine, can both be used in this recipe. A non alcoholic, and also more common, substitute is chicken broth. Just use the same amount as direct for the wine.

This Simple Sausage & Parmesan Pasta Skillet is meal time magic. It’s budget friendly, it’s full of flavor, it’s quick enough for any schedule.

It’s guaranteed to become a new family favorite the first time you make it.

Other Easy Pasta Dishes

Looking for more easy pasta dishes?

Try these:

• Two Timin’ Pasta 
• Italian Wedding Soup Pasta Skillet
• Creamy Taco Pasta 
• Cheesy Mexican Chicken Spaghetti

If you’ve tried this SAUSAGE & PARMESAN PASTA SKILLET, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!

This recipe, and other from this week will be shared at some of our favorite link parties, including Meal Plan Monday. Check ’em out for a great collection of easy, yummy recipe ideas.