
Whenever I’m craving something super cheesy and cozy without messing up my kitchen, this one-pot kielbasa pasta hits the spot. Smoky sausage, silky sauce, and fork-tender pasta all end up ready in a flash, and you only need to wash one pan.
The first time I tossed this together on a freezing night, I didn’t plan for it to be our regular quick dinner fix. Now I make it all the time because everybody at home wants it again and again.
Mouthwatering Ingredients
- Olive oil: Start with this in the pan, keeps sausage and onion from sticking. Go with extra virgin for extra taste.
- Kielbasa, turkey or chicken sausage: Thick smoked sausage is best so it can brown up with crispy bits.
- Onion: Pick a solid, fresh one for the sweetest flavor in your base.
- Garlic: Use freshly minced to really punch up every bite.
- Low sodium chicken broth: Adds moisture and ties everything together.
- Diced tomatoes: Picks up the rich sauce with a little tart kick. Avoid cheap cans loaded with sugar or salt.
- Pasta (dry, small shapes): Stuff like elbows, penne, or rotini soak up all the goodness.
- Milk or heavy cream: Make it how you want—regular milk works, but cream makes it silky smooth.
- Salt and pepper: Season along the way, tasting as you go.
- Cheddar cheese (shred it yourself): Gives you a melty, stretchy layer on top.
- Green onions (scallions), sliced thin: Sprinkle these over just before serving for a crisp bite and color boost.
Dreamy Step-by-Step
- Warm your skillet with oil first:
- Get your skillet going over medium-high heat. Pour in the oil and let it heat up before adding anything else.
- Brown the sausage and onions:
- Toss in sausage and onion. Let them cook five minutes. The onion softens and the sausage browns up for loads of flavor.
- Sizzle up some garlic:
- Stir in the garlic and let it cook for about half a minute, just until it gets fragrant but not browned.
- Pour in liquids, tomatoes, and pasta:
- Add the broth, pour in the tomatoes, add milk or cream, dry pasta, and your salt and pepper. Give it a stir so pasta’s tucked under. Drop the heat low and simmer about fifteen minutes, stirring here and there so nothing clumps up and pasta turns tender.
- Melt in half the cheese:
- Kill the heat, sprinkle in a good handful of shredded cheddar, and mix well. Save the rest for the top layer.
- Cheese it up and add scallions at the end:
- Finish with the last of the cheese, put the lid back on for a couple minutes to melt, then cover with sliced scallions while it’s piping hot. Get your bowl ready!

Watching the cheese bubble on top makes me happy. I admit, I always swipe the best piece of crispy sausage. My kids argue over the last gooey forkful, and no one leaves the table hungry.
Leftover Magic
Let any leftovers cool, then store sealed in the fridge for up to three days. Warm it gently in a pan with a splash of milk. That keeps the sauce rich and the cheese stretchy. Try not to use the microwave or you’ll lose the good melt.
Ingredient Swaps Made Easy
Want it spicier? Go for chorizo or andouille instead of kielbasa. No cheddar at home? Use Jack or mozzarella. Got different pasta shapes? Throw in shells or spirals. You can mix in extra veggies like spinach or bell pepper early on—toss them in with your onions.
Tasty Things To Serve With It
The smell alone is hard to resist, so honestly, you don’t need sides. Sometimes I whip up a quick salad with lemon or heat up a batch of green beans. If a bunch of people are eating, I add some crunchy bread to scoop up leftovers. It never fails to win folks over when they drop by.

The Story Behind This Dish
Kielbasa is smoky Polish sausage, easy-going and not loaded with spicy stuff, so it’s perfect in a creamy, creamy sauce like this. Cooking the whole thing in one pot is a classic European move, makes the meal easy, and flavors blend together with no extra fuss. You get cozy food with barely any work.
Common Recipe Questions
- → Can I use different sausage?
For sure! Chicken or turkey sausage swaps in perfectly. Really, any smoked kind you have works fine.
- → Which pasta shape is best here?
Rotini and penne are solid choices—both catch loads of that cheesy sauce with the sausage.
- → How do I kick up the spice?
Hot sausage is a fun swap or just toss in a few red pepper flakes. Tweak it to your taste.
- → Can I make this ahead?
Of course! Cook it up, stash it in the fridge, then warm it back up gently. If the sauce thickens, stir in a splash of milk.
- → Don’t have cream on hand?
Half-and-half or regular milk does the job! Use any non-dairy milk as well if you avoid dairy.
- → What’s the best way to store leftovers?
Chill it first, pop it into a sealed container, and stash it in the fridge. It’ll keep up to three days.