One Skillet Italian Sausage and Pasta

If you haven't noticed, I totally dig one-skillet meals. Everything is cooked in one pan - so what's not to love? In this case, Italian sausage plays a major role as the base of an insane Bolognese-style sauce. Then, wide ribbons of pappardelle pasta are cooked right in the sauce, so they soak up all the love and flavor from the sausage and other ingredients. And I carry the skillet right to the table, so just imagine how easy cleanup is. This is, for sure, a keeper for our regular dinner routine.

About the pasta: We adore thick pasta ribbons in my house. Tagliatelle, pappardelle, fettuccine. And these are egg-based pastas, so they're actually much more filling than other pastas (such as spaghetti). That's why you need just 8-9 ounces for this dish (my package was 8.8 ounces). 
About the sausage: I chose sweet Italian sausage this time - I figured we would add crushed red pepper flakes at the table anyway. Feel free to use sweet, hot or a combination of the two. If you buy the sausage in links, remove the casing before cooking. For me, 2 links was 1/2 pound so if you're working with links, read the label and do a little math to figure out how many links equal about 1/2 pound. It doesn't have to be exact.

About the skillet: Since the pasta, sausage and sauce are all cooked together in one pan, make sure you choose a skillet with high sides so nothing spills over. You can also use a large saucepan - just make sure it's wide enough to allow the noodles to move around in the sauce.

One Skillet Italian Sausage and Pasta

1/2 pound Italian sausage (I used sweet, but you can use sweet or hot or a combination)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
28-ounce can tomato sauce or tomato puree (both work here)
3 cups water
8-9 ounces dry egg pappardelle pasta, or any wide noodle of choice (my package was 8.8 ounces)
Salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, preferably freshly grated
Fresh basil leaves for serving, optional

Brown the sausage in a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add the oregano, basil, garlic powder, and onion powder and stir to coat. Add the tomato sauce and water and bring to a simmer. Add the pasta and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the pasta is tender, stirring frequently. If you notice that the mixture seems too thick, add a little more water. Remove the pan from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Top the pasta with parmesan cheese (and basil leaves if using) before serving.

Serves 4