One Pot Penne and Sausage

I have blogged about my love for one pot meals before!  Of course, what's not to love!?!  You cook dinner in one pot...leaving you only one pot to wash (or squeeze into the dishwasher) before you get to relax and unwind at night!

I promise this one pot meal is not lacking in flavors!  With only a few ingredients, this dish is a piece of cake to throw together!

Your Shopping List:

• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 package (about 12 - 14 oz) cooked smoked turkey sausage, sliced into rounds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies 
• 2 cups chicken broth 
• 8 oz whole wheat penne 
• 3 cups of shredded Mexican cheese 

Now Let's Make the One Pot Penne and Sausage

1. In a large skillet that is oven/broiler safe, heat olive oil 
2. Add sliced turkey sausage and cook until brown 
   
3. Add the minced garlic and stir, cooking until fragrant (only about 1 minute)
4. Add the can of diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and penne to the skillet.  Bring to a boil, and then lower to a simmer.  
5. Cook until most of the liquid (about 90 percent) is absorbed and the pasta is al dente 
6. Stir in 1 cup of shredded cheese 
7. Top with remaining two cups of cheese
8. Place skillet under preheated broiler and cook for 2-4 minutes, until the top is golden brown
9. Allow to sit for five minutes before serving 

A few notes:

• you could definitely use regular sausage, but the smoked turkey sausage has so much flavor that you don't need the extra fat in the regular sausage to provide flavor.  If you did use regular sausage, you may want to drain the fat after it browns before proceeding with the rest of the directions.  
• I used a "medium" can of diced tomatoes and chilies but you can definitely get the hot if you want it super spicy.  However, this had plenty of flavor for our family!  
• I get a lot of emails from readers who do not like whole wheat pasta (or their spouses and children do not like whole wheat pasta).  While you can definitely use white pasta, I think that dishes like this are the perfect way to get reluctant eaters used to the texture of whole wheat!  They may not even know the difference!