Kielbasa Pasta

I’ve got a weeknight dinner that has become a regular in my home. It’s this Kielbasa Pasta dish that everyone in our family loves. It started on a busy weeknight when I was rummaging through my kitchen, looking for something quick and hearty to whip up. I found some Polish sausage and pasta and thought, “Why not?”

So, I tossed the smoky kielbasa with hearty pasta and whatever fresh veggies I had—bell peppers, onions, and a handful of spinach. The whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes, which is perfect when you’re short on time but still want a meal that feels complete and satisfying.

Pasta is one of our go-to ingredients when we want a quick and easy, yet totally satisfying dinner. From the light and fresh Pasta and Peas, to the rich and decadent Gigi Hadid Pasta, there’s so much you can do with a box of pasta.

Now today’s pasta dinner is a good mix of carbs, protein, and veggies for a healthy, well-rounded meal and it all happens in one skillet. Win, win for me.

Ingredient Notes

• Pasta – You can use any type of pasta, but I like a short tubular shape like penne or rotini. Linguini or fettuccini also work great here.
• Kielbasa Sausage – The star of the show. As it’s already cooked, all it needs is a quick browning to add to the depth of flavor. Be sure to check out my collection of favorite Kielbasa recipes!
• Aromatics – Onion and garlic. For a milder flavor, shallots can be used in place of the onion.
• Bell Peppers – Any color of bell pepper works well in this recipe. Go with a mix for flavor variety. Today I am using red and yellow.
• Tomatoes: I like fresh tomatoes, but canned diced tomatoes can also be used.
• Italian Seasoning – If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can make your own blend using dried basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.
• Crushed Red Pepper – This is optional but I love it here.
• Chicken Broth – Use any of your preferred brands, I like Better than Bouillon.
• Fresh Basil – If fresh basil isn’t available, dried basil can be used, but it should be added during the cooking process rather than as a garnish. As dried is more potent, you would want to use considerably less. Alternately, you could use fresh parsley.

Kielbasa Pasta Recipe

1. Cook the pasta: I start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until it’s al dente, just like the package directions say. Then, I drain it and set it aside.

2. Brown the sausage: While the pasta is cooking, I brown the sausage on both sides until it’s nicely caramelized. Then, I remove it to a plate and set it aside.

3. Create the sauce: Later I start by sautéing the onion for about 5 minutes. Once it’s softened, I add in the garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper, letting them cook together for a minute. Then, I stir in the tomatoes and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning, cooking everything until the tomatoes begin to soften and break down, about 4-5 minutes. Next, I pour in the chicken broth slowly, making sure to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Finally, I add the peppers and the browned sausage back into the pan, and let the whole mixture simmer for another 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

4. Finalize the dish: Then just toss in cooked pasta along with fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Variations

• Add More Protein: I sometimes add chicken or shrimp to this dish too. They both go really well with the kielbasa and make the meal even more filling and flavorful.
• Veggie Boost: Add more veggies for extra bulk and nutrition. Think mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, spinach or broccoli.
• Make it Creamy: Some days I like to stir in half a cup of heavy whipping cream right at the end of the cooking time. It makes the dish really creamy and delicious!
• Cheesy Pasta Bake: After tossing everything together, sprinkle with cheese (like mozzarella and/or parmesan), and bake until bubbly and golden.

Tips

• Pasta Perfection: Cook the pasta al dente so it retains some bite. This prevents it from becoming too soft when tossed with the other ingredients.
• Sausage Searing: Brown the kielbasa well in the skillet. This caramelization adds depth to the overall flavor of the dish.
• Deglaze Thoroughly: When I add the chicken broth, I make sure to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Those bits are packed with flavor and really enhance the dish.

Delicious, nutritious, and ready in 30 minutes… that’s my Kielbasa pasta! Grab some Polish sausage on your next trip to the grocery store, and whip up this great dinner in no time.

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For more easy weeknight dinners, check out our hand picked collection of Dinner Ideas for Tonight. Until next time…

Kielbasa Pasta, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

More great pasta dishes to try:
TikTok Spaghetti
Espagueti Verde
Chicken Pastina Soup
Louisiana Chicken Pasta
Orecchiette with Sausage
Creamy Sausage Pasta
Pastalaya

Kielbasa Pasta

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This Kielbasa Pasta is a quick weeknight dinner where smoky Polish sausage is complimented by sweet bell peppers in a light tomato based sauce.

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Ingredients

• 8oz dried pasta
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 14oz kielbasa sausage, sliced
• ½ small onion, sliced
• 2 bell peppers, sliced (any colors you prefer)
• 3 large garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 pound fresh tomatoes, diced
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 1 cup fresh basil

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and sauté until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes total.
3. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes.
4. Add garlic and crushed red pepper, cook for 1 minute.
5. Add tomato and Italian seasoning. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
6. Slowly pour in chicken broth, stirring to deglaze the pan. Add peppers and sausage, and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Toss in cooked pasta along with fresh basil leaves.
8. Serve immediately.

Notes

1. Leftovers and Storing: This Polish sausage pasta is great as leftovers for the next few days. Store it in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
   
   Reheat leftovers in the microwave or on stovetop over medium heat, with a splash of water or olive oil if it has dried out.

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 531Total Fat 37gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 24gCholesterol 73mgSodium 1177mgCarbohydrates 33gFiber 3gSugar 8gProtein 18g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.