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One Pot Sweet Potato Sausage Pasta Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

One Pot Sweet Potato Sausage Pasta Recipe

I make this one pot sweet potato sausage pasta on nights when I want something warm and filling but have zero patience for a sink full of dishes. I tossed it together the first time using leftover sausage and a sweet potato that was about to go soft in my pantry, and now it's one of my go-to weeknight dinners.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil — gives the sausage a good sear without sticking
  • 1 pound chicken or turkey sausage casing removed — use a well-seasoned sausage so you don't have to add extra spices later
  • 1 yellow onion chopped — adds sweetness and depth as it softens
  • 1 medium sweet potato peeled and diced small — smaller pieces cook faster and blend into the sauce better
  • 2 garlic cloves minced — fresh garlic beats the jarred stuff here for flavor
  • 12 oz whole wheat or regular penne or rotini pasta — short pasta shapes hold the sauce best
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth — keeps the dish from tasting flat or oversalted
  • 1 can 14 oz diced tomatoes, no salt added — adds acidity to balance the sweetness of the potato
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste — thickens the sauce and deepens the flavor
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning — one shortcut for herby flavor without measuring five spices
  • Zest of 1 lemon — brightens the whole dish right at the end
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes — adjust up or down based on your spice tolerance
  • 5 oz baby kale or baby spinach — don't use frozen greens they release too much water and turn mushy
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated fresh — pre-shredded cheese doesn't melt as smoothly

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in your pot over medium heat, then add the sausage and break it into crumbles as it cooks. Let it brown for about 4 to 5 minutes until it's no longer pink in the middle. Pull it out and set it on a plate, leaving the flavorful bits behind in the pot.
  2. Add the chopped onion to the same pot and cook until it turns soft and translucent, roughly 4 minutes. Stir in the diced sweet potato and garlic, cooking for another 3 minutes so the potato starts to soften. This step is where most of the dish's flavor base comes together.
  3. Pour in the pasta, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste, then stir in the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Make sure the pasta is mostly submerged in liquid so it cooks evenly. Bring everything up to a boil before dropping the heat down.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 12 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. You'll know it's ready when the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has absorbed into a thick sauce.
  5. Add the baby kale in batches, stirring until each handful wilts down before adding more. Return the cooked sausage to the pot and stir everything together until it's heated through. Let the pot sit off the heat for 5 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly.
  6. Sprinkle the lemon zest and grated Parmesan over the top right before serving. The lemon cuts through the richness and makes the whole dish taste brighter. Give it one last gentle stir so the cheese starts to melt into the hot pasta.

Notes

  • I always dice the sweet potato small and uniform, because uneven pieces mean some stay hard while others turn to mush.
  • I keep a close eye on the liquid level and add a splash more broth if it looks like it's drying out before the pasta is tender.
  • I stir the pot every few minutes during the simmer, since pasta loves to stick to the bottom when it's cooking in a shallow amount of liquid.
  • I add the kale in two or three smaller batches instead of dumping it all in at once, which helps it wilt evenly.
  • I zest the lemon before I juice anything else that day, because it's easy to forget once the pasta is almost done.