This one pot spicy sausage pasta is so easy and full of flavour made with chorizo, herbs and chilli flakes. It comes together in a single pot meaning less washing up and dinner can be ready in about 30 minutes!
One pot meals are dinner saviours. When you are short on time, not really sure what to make, or just want something pretty low effort, then a one pot pasta basically means throwing everything in a pot you’re done. Well not quite but it’s pretty close!
In my weekly meal plan I generally have at least one or two pasta dishes. The reason is that I ALWAYS have pasta in my pantry and it is so versatile being a base for so many different flavour combinations.
This recipe cooks the pasta in the pot alongside the other ingredients rather than having to boil it first which is a huge time saver. Plus the starchy water helps to make the sauce super thick and creamy and delicious.
One thing that always gets me about a one pot pasta recipe is just how much additional flavour the pasta inherits by cooking in stock alongside all the other flavour components. It’s just not something you can achieve when you cook your pasta and sauce separately.
This version of the one pot pasta uses chorizo sausages for extra flavour, has a rich tomato based sauce thanks to the tomato paste and tomato puree, and is finished off with some herbs, chilli flakes and fresh parsley. You can also add a little bit of fresh parmasen to give it that extra creaminess but leave it out if you want it to remain dairy-free.
Key Ingredients
The best thing about this recipe is that it’s pretty forgiving, so as long as you don’t change the ratios, play around with the flavours you add. With just a few ingredients that pack a lot of flavour we can achieve a rich and hearty meal in just 30 minutes.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chorizo sausages – I am using Spanish style chorizo pork sausages, not the cured, salami style however I have used that in this recipe and it works fine. You can use any type of seasoned sausage but the majority of the flavour of this pasta does come from the sausages.
- Red onion – I find the milder, sweeter flavour of red onion works best in this recipe but you can use any onion you have on hand.
- Garlic – adding extra flavour. Feel free to measure this with your heart.
- Tomato paste – for a deep, rich and caramelised tomato flavour.
- Herbs and spices – I am using a combination of dried oregano, dried basil and chili flakes to give this pasta a little kick. Adjust the amount of chilli based on your preferences and use any combination of Italian herbs that you have or like.
- Chicken stock – adding extra flavour that will be absorbed by the pasta as it cooks. You may need to add a little more depending on the pasta you’re using.
- Passata – or pureed tomatoes is the base of the pasta sauce. You could also use a can of tomatoes if that was all you had, although the texture will be less creamy and more chunky.
- Pasta – my favourite pasta shape for this pasta is casarecce which is a smaller, twisty pasta so the sauce gets caught in all the grooves. It can be a little harder to find as not all supermarkets stock it, but any smaller shape pasta should work, you just may need to adjust the cooking time and add a little more stock or water.
Step-By-Step Instructions
To make this one pot spicy sausage pasta you’ll of course need the pot! You want to use a medium sized, heavy based pot with a lid. My favourite is a cast iron Dutch oven like this one from Amazon. It is just the right size for this and is fantastic for ensuring even heat distribution.
Start by finely dicing the onion and chopping the sausages into 1 inch pieces.
In your pot, heat the olive oil and add in the onions, garlic and sausage pieces. Sauté for a few minutes minutes until the sausages are brown and the onions are soft.
Add the tomato paste and mix through, allowing it to darken in colour and caramalise slightly. Turn down the heat to medium/low and add in the herbs, chilli powder and salt and pepper, followed by the stock and the tomato puree.
Add the uncooked pasta and stir to combine. Place the lid on the pot and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly so the pasta doesn’t stick to the base. The cooking time will be dependent on the type of pasta you use and you may need to add a little more stock or water until the pasta is cooked.
If you want to add parmesan, add it to the pot and mix through. Divide the pasta between bowls and top with freshly chopped parsley and extra chilli flakes if desired.
Storage and reheating instructions
The pasta will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to three months.
This pasta reheats really well and therefore it’s a great recipe to meal prep or double and make in bulk.
To reheat, do so in the microwave until steaming, or in a small saucepan over the stove. Add a splash or two of water to help loosen the sauce.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe calls for Spanish style chorizo sausage which is an uncooked pork sausages flavoured with smoky paprika and other flavours. You can use sliced, cured Spanish chorizo as well if you prefer, similar to in my prawn and chorizo pasta.
Yes, you can use any shape pasta you prefer, however a smaller shape will work best as it cooks quickly. I love casarecce, but spirals, orecchiette, elbows, or shells would also work well. You may need to add additional water to the pot and adjust the cooking time to ensure it cooks through.
More pasta recipes:
Prawn and Chorizo Pasta
20 Minute Bow Tie Pasta
Slow Cooked Beef Ragu
Vegan Mac and Cheese
Vegan Vodka Pasta
One Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta
One Pot Spicy Sausage Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red onion diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic crushed
- 450 grams chorizo sausages cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 ½ cups tomato puree (passata)
- 320 grams dried pasta (I used casarecce)
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese optional
- chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a heavy based pot on high heat and add chopped sausages, onion and garlic. Saute for 5-7 minutes until the sausages are brown and the onions are soft.
- Add tomato paste and stir through. Cook for an additional minute until the tomato paste is fragrant and starting to darken in colour.
- Turn down the heat to medium/low and add in the spices and salt and pepper, followed by the stock and the tomato puree. Finally stir through the dried pasta and put the lid on.
- Cook for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn’t stick, or until the pasta is cooked through. Cooking time will be dependent on the type of pasta you use.
- Remove the lid and finish cooking for a few minutes to thicken the sauce. Take off the heat and stir through the parmesan and parsley if using and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
This post was originally published on the August 2020. It has been republished to include better instructions, more helpful information and new photos.
Ian Campbell says
Just made this using some chorizo I bought in Barcelona last week while on holiday. Loved it, lovely thick sauce on the pasta after cooking. Certainly one I will revisit.
Sally says
So glad you enjoyed this recipe to use your chorizo! Thanks Ian.
Tom says
I made this on the weekend and it was a big hit. Recipe was super easy to follow. This was for a batch cook so I used 500g of pasta then added another cup of stock and half a cup of passata to compensate which resulted in 4 big servings. I also added in a couple of fresh Birdseye chilis for a bit of an extra kick. Will definitely make again!
Sally says
Sounds delicious, glad you enjoyed Tom and thanks for sharing!
Nicole says
Wow! This was amazing and is now one of my favourite pasta dishes already. We will definitely be making this again as the whole family enjoyed it. I have to say, I was surprised at how filling it is. So much so that we’ve got leftovers that we’ll be having for lunch tomorrow.
Sally says
So happy you and your family enjoyed this recipe! Thanks Nicole 🙂
Mal clarke says
Omg this is the best pasta dish I’ve had so easy to do.the taste with chorizo is to die for and it taste great even when cold .thank you so much it’s going in my recipe book .
Sally says
So glad you enjoyed it! And thanks for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Amanda Higgins says
Hi from UK. I made this with 400g of good quality caramelised onion sausages (skin removed) and 75g of diced chorizo and added a little gulp of red wine, it was amazing!!!
Sally says
Sounds amazing Amanda! Glad you enjoyed!
Kerry says
This was SO good! We had mild Italian sausage on hand, it was delicious!
Sally says
So glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for coming back and leaving a review 🙂
Jim Price says
Mexican chorizo or Spanish chorizo?
Sally says
Hi Jim, Spanish chorizo is what I use for this recipe. Thanks!
Madi says
This was such a quick, good recipe that even my fussy partner loved.
I did sub out the chorizo for seasoned veggie sausages, and I didn’t have any tomato paste or passata so I subbed them for a homemade tomato sauce, canned tomato and a pinch of brown sugar.
Thanks for your meal inspo
Sally says
Thanks Madi! Glad you and your partner enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Sarah says
Made this for dinner tonight, delicious! Hubby hovered it up and went for seconds. Will make again 🙂
Sally says
Thanks Sarah, this is one of our favourites as well so glad you enjoyed it!
Missy says
What is a substitute for spanish chorizo..? Don’t have any of that here 🙁
Sally says
Hi Missy, any seasoned sausages should work as a replacement just keep in mind a lot of the flavour of this dish comes from the chorizo sausage so you may want to increase some other seasonings to compensate depending on what type of sausage you have available.
Angela Camacho says
This was good, I subbed 4 spicy sausage links but did have to add water to get pasta to cook. Approx. 1-2 to 2 cups in total.
Sally says
Thanks for your comment Angela, glad you enjoyed it!
Nina says
I tried this recipe tonight and it turned out wonderful! Maybe it was the pasta I used but I ended up needing to put more water to cook the pasta through but you’re right. The flavor definitely comes through better when you cook the pasta in the sauce. Thank you!
Sally says
So glad you enjoyed it!