Creamy Kielbasa Pasta
Our creamy kielbasa pasta is a one-pot recipe with savory sausage, tender penne noodles, and block-style cream cheese. It’s an easy sausage and pasta dish that comes together in just over half an hour.
If you find yourself at the fridge staring at a package of kielbasa sausage and wondering what to make with it, let me introduce you to our creamy kielbasa pasta. This is one of my family’s favorite pasta recipes.
John started making it years ago when we needed dinner and were running low on groceries. He decided to make a pasta dish with a cream cheese base, some onions, and sauteed kielbasa. It was meant to be a more of a base recipe that could be adjusted as needed. As it turns out, we like the basic recipe so much that we rarely change it.
This recipe is straightforward and versatile, so it’s easy to adjust based on your taste. It makes plenty for 4 larger servings or 6 smaller ones. We like to serve it with some garlic bread or a quick salad to round out the meal. It’s an easy dinner recipe to add to the rotation.
Tips for Making Kielbasa Pasta
How to Make a Creamy Kielbasa Pasta
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the oil and cook the kielbasa and sliced onions until the sausage starts to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. The kielbasa will caramelize around the edges and the onions will soften.
- Leave the sausage and onions in the pot, and pour in the penne, chicken broth, and water. Stir to combine then bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a snug-fitting lid, and reduce to a simmer. Continue cooking for 12 to 14 minutes or until the noodles reach the desired doneness. Make sure to stir them every few minutes so they don’t stick.
- After the noodles cook, leave a little broth in the pan, and add the cubed cream cheese. We prefer to use room temperature cream cheese because it melts faster and without lumps. If it isn’t melting easily or the sauce is too thick, we’ve had success by adding a couple of splashes of warm broth. It will loosen the cream cheese right up.
- Stir until the sauce is smooth and creamy, then serve right away. If you want to add extra seasonings for flavor, the best time to do that is just before you add the pasta noodles and broth. That way the flavors can cook into the pasta.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover pasta in the fridge for up to 3 days. We prefer to eat it immediately or within a day. As it sits in the fridge, the noodles continue to absorb moisture from the cream cheese. It can turn a little dry. When you get ready to reheat it, do it on the stovetop over low heat. Add splashes of chicken broth to loosen it up.
If you’re a pasta lover like us, don’t miss our cream cheese pasta recipe. It has similar ingredients to the kielbasa pasta recipe but without the sausage and onions. We also have a delicious smoked sausage cajun alfredo that combines a creamy sauce with sausage and a bit of heat.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil, canola, olive, vegetable, etc.
- 13 ounces kielbasa sausage, sliced into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup thinly sliced white onion
- 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta, or any short pasta
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups water
- 8 ounces block-style cream cheese, cut into cubes
💌 Don’t forget to save this recipe!
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil, sausage, and onion. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the sausage begins to brown and the onions soften.1 tablespoon cooking oil13 ounces kielbasa sausage½ cup thinly sliced white onion
- Add the noodles, broth, and water. Stir to combine.8 ounces uncooked penne pasta1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth1 ½ cups water
- Bring the ingredients to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and continue to cook for 12 to 14 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the noodles don’t stick together.
- After the noodles are cooked to al dente or to your liking, add the cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese is melted and thoroughly combined.8 ounces block-style cream cheese
- Serve hot with your favorite sides.
Notes
- The serving size is 2 cups of pasta. Actual calories will vary.
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Great, easy recipe which was even enjoyed by our toddler. I added red and green bell peppers and a blend of spices: salt, smoked paprika, garlic, cayenne and black pepper. I’m going to save this one!
Thank you Anne! The peppers and spice blend sound like awesome additions. Thank you again for commenting and rating the recipe card. Have a lovely day 🙂
Great recipe..added bell pepper and red pepper flakes with a little sour cream. Thank you for sharing!! Yummy
Thank you T! Kim and I are thrilled you enjoyed the kielbasa pasta. Have a lovely day 🙂
Can you add a bit of fresh spinach to this?
Absolutely, stir the washed fresh spinach into the pasta right at end (just before serving). If you add it in while the pasta cooks, it could overcook and become slimy. Thank you for your question, Liz. Have a lovely day 🙂
Very easy to put together on a busy weeknight! But definitely a recipe for milder palates. We added salt and crushed red pepper, a handful of of grated parmesan cheese. It was good!
We’re glad you enjoyed the pasta dish. Those sound like tasty additions! Thanks for coming back to comment, and we hope you have a wonderful evening! 🙂
We made this tonight and my husband loved it! I will say I thought it more on the mild side, so next time I’ll play a little with the recipe by trying 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes while it simmered to give it a little more kick. This is going into our favorites! Thanks!
Hi Danielle!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed the pasta! Red pepper flakes would be a great addition and add just enough heat. Thanks so much for coming back to comment. Have a wonderful week! 🙂
What an easy, simple, but delicious meal! Thank you! I will make this again.