Cheesy Smoked Sausage Pasta Skillet
Cheesy Smoked Sausage Pasta Skillet
This is an easy one skillet dish that is extremely good and very versatile. Lot of things to change in this to suit your taste. I made this on 4 Oct 2016, recipe modified slightly and some step by step photos added, my comments below.
Ingredients
- 500 grams smoked sausage, OR ham, brats, or even plain quality hotdogs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, you choice of color, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
- 3 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped, with the juice as well
- 2-3 Bird's Eye Chilis, chopped
- 500 grams dry spiral pasta, any bite size pasta will work
- 1-2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded, OR Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Melt butter in skillet and brown the sliced sausage, onion, garlic, and bell pepper.
- Add, salt, pepper, chicken stock, tomatoes and juice, chilies, and pasta. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, and let cook uncovered, or until pasta is tender and just some of the liquid remains, about 20-30 minutes.
- Mix in the cheese and serve.
Notes
I get good quality smoked sausage at Makro for about 150 Baht/500 grams. One cup of cheese is about 1/2 of a 250 gram block (180 Baht), so I'll go with 90 Baht for the cheese. For 6 servings, I will estimate about $1.18 per serving. Good value overall.
Variants: 1. Add fresh sliced mushrooms. 2. Use fresh tomatoes but you will need tomato juice (just a bit) as well. 3. If you like cheese, use the whole block. 4. Add taco seasoning and use Cheddar cheese and you have a taco pasta dish. Variants add cost however but can change up the dish from one time you prepare it to the next.
Variants provided by good friend, Lynn Batterman, United States.
Toss in some Basil, Thyme, Oregano, and you have a great Italian dish. Leave out the sausage, but saute some chicken breast/thighs first, then add the rest with the herbs, and it's Chicken Cacciatore. Add paprika and you have Goulash. What you've done is reveal how EASY cooking can be... just add a few different herbs/spices, or even bake vs. pan fry, roast, and it becomes a whole different meal from a different country even though they are very similar. The biggest differences are the HOT dishes from various countries, India heat vs. Thai, vs. Jamaican, vs. Tex-Mex, is so different.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Toss in some Basil, Thyme, Oregano, and you have a great Italian dish. Leave out the sausage, but saute some chicken breast/thighs first, then add the rest with the herbs, and it's Chicken Cacciatore. Add paprika and you have Goulash. What you've done is reveal how EASY cooking can be... just add a few different herbs/spices, or even bake vs. pan fry, roast, and it becomes a whole different meal from a different country even though they are very similar. The biggest differences are the HOT dishes from various countries, India heat vs. Thai, vs. Jamaican, vs. Tex-Mex, is so different.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
I made this on 4 Oct 2016, and it is delicious! I changed the recipe slightly to reflect my findings, but overall, the recipe is the same. I used an off brand of smoked sausage with chilies in them, not as good a quality that I can get in Makro, more of a cross between a hotdog and smoked sausage. I also increased the chicken stock slightly, and added more Mozzarella cheese and mixed it in instead of just on the top. Very good meal and is on my Go-to List! When I make this again, I will use brats instead of smoked sausage.