Name: Easy One Pot Pasta with Sausage and Fresh Tomatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, (casing removed); 1 large yellow onion, (medium dice); 3 cups water; 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, (cored and medium dice (about 5 medium tomatoes)); 1 pound short pasta, (like rigatoni or penne); 2 cups basil leaves, (packed); 4 sprigs fresh thyme; 2 cloves garlic, (chopped); 1 sprig fresh rosemary, (or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; Parmesan cheese, (for serving (optional)); red chile flakes, (for serving (optional))

Jump to Recipe

Bursting with fresh tomatoes, spicy Italian sausage, thyme, basil, and garlic, this simple one pot sausage tomato pasta is ready in 30 minutes and the best part? All in one Dutch oven. Quick, easy, hearty, and oh so delicious!

A bowl filled with rigatoni pasta with sausage and tomatoes.

Between the pesto pasta with green beans, the creamy chicken pasta casserole, and the pasta fagioli, it’s no secret we’re big fans of pasta around here.

Today, I’m bringing you a new recipe for a perfectly summery dinner that highlights fresh tomatoes (although you could absolutely make this with canned). They cook down to make a light and lovely tomato sauce with browned spicy Italian sausage and pasta, all in one pot for a quick dinner.

Truly one of those all-in-one pasta dishes that everyone at the table will love. Great for busy weeknights, or for friends on a summer night get-together with a nice crisp salad and bottle of wine. Let me show you how to make it.

Tell Me About This One Pot Sausage Tomato Pasta

Texture: The dry pasta cooks along with the other ingredients in just enough water to form a silky sauce as the tomatoes cook down and the sausage releases its juices without so much liquid the pasta turns to mush.
Flavor: Herby, salty, and tangy with a little bit of kick from the spicy Italian sausage. If you love fresh and garlicky herb flavors, you’ll love this one! I use basil, thyme, and rosemary, but feel free to swap in some fresh parsley and/or oregano.
Ease: All you’re doing is a little chopping, browning the sausage, onions, and garlic then combining everything else in a single pot to simmer away.

This spicy sausage pasta has tons of flavor, little prep work!

A bowl of rigatoni pasta with basil leaves, parmesan cheese, and sausage.

Grab These Ingredients

All the ingredients to make sausage pasta including tomatoes, sausage, pasta, and more

All these simple ingredients can be found in any grocery store. See recipe card for exact amounts.

Olive oil. Just a couple of tablespoons to start the browning process.
Hot Italian pork sausage. Or sweet Italian sausage if you don’t like the heat. You can also substitute chicken sausage or turkey sausage as long as it is raw and not cooked or smoked.
Chopped onion and a couple cloves garlic. The aromatics sauté in the rendered fat of the sausage to get some nice caramelization for incredible flavors.
Water. This will help cook the pasta and form the sauce. There’s tons of flavor here so no need to substitute chicken broth, water works great.
Tomatoes. Chopped fresh tomatoes add sweetness and tang but keep things light.
Short pasta. I like to use rigatoni but penne pasta, fusilli pasta, or medium shells would all work.
Fresh basil, thyme, rosemary. Flavor! I use all fresh herbs. The thyme and rosemary I just throw in the whole sprigs then fish them out before serving. I also like to garnish each plate with more fresh basil leaves.
Kosher salt. I always use Morton kosher salt unless otherwise specified. I don’t think it needs black pepper but feel free to season with that as well if you’d like.
Parmesan and red chile flakes. For sprinkling over the top.

The sausage browning in the pot with the onions and garlic.

Success Tips: To Avoid Soggy Pasta

My biggest beef with one-pot pasta recipes is if you add too much water you’ll end up with mushy pasta—the worst!

For this one-pot Italian sausage pasta, 3 cups of water may not seem like enough liquid initially but once the tomatoes start breaking down and releasing their juices, it will be the perfect amount to cook the pasta to al dente in the pasta sauce without it getting too soft or falling apart.

First, brown the sausage meat, onions, and garlic over medium heat in a 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven. Then add the rest of the ingredients to this cooked sausage mixture and bring to a boil.

A red pot on the stove filled with tomatoes, sausage, pasta, and basil

A pot of sausage pasta once everything is cooked with a wood spoon on top.

Want to make this vegetarian? Substitute sliced mushrooms for the sausage.

Cover with a lid and turn the heat to low and simmer until the uncooked pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally. This should take anywhere from 9-12 minutes, the cooking time will depend on the type of pasta you use. Taste and season with more salt if necessary. Spoon into bowls and garnish with parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and more herbs if you’d like.

Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

A bowl of pasta with basil leaves, parmesan, and sausage.

Can I Make This Ahead?

No, it is best served immediately. The pasta gets soggy if you let it sit in the sauce for too long. If you want to get a jump on the prep you can brown the sausage with the onions and garlic ahead of time. Or chop all the veggies so all you have to do is throw everything in the pot.

Should I Drain Off The Fat From The Sausage?

You can if you wish but you are throwing away flavor. In my opinion, the few extra calories are worth it.

Can I Use Canned Tomatoes?

If fresh tomatoes aren’t in season, use 1 28-ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes. No need to drain them first.

A bowl of pasta surrounded by red pepper flakes and basil leaves.

If you love this Italian sausage pasta, you’ll also love this tomato-mushroom spaghetti. And for even more inspiration, see this round up of 17 summer vegan pastas.

Serve With These Favorite Side Dishes

Today’s easy one pot sausage pasta would go great with the following:

More Easy Recipes

This is a family favorite at our house. I hope you love this easy pasta recipe as much as we do. Would you like to see more one pot meals? Drop me a comment below and let me know!