This Creamy Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta is perfect for a cozy night in or when you're trying to whip up something quick and delicious for dinner.
The combination of kielbasa, pasta, and a creamy cheese sauce is simply irresistible. It's the ultimate comfort food that will leave you feeling satisfied and happy.
I like to top it with a crunchy breadcrumb topping; the crunch works well with the creamy sauce and the soft sausage. Ready in under 30 minutes, you can add a side salad, and dinner is complete.
Ingredient Notes
These notes are here to help make this recipe a success; they cover some but not all ingredients. For a complete ingredient list, check out the recipe card below.
Kielbasa Sausage: This is a cooked smoked sausage that adds so much flavor to the pasta dish. It is budget-friendly and great for family meals, as the kids love it.
Onion: I use a regular brown onion, but you can use any onion.
Garlic: Measure garlic with your heart and add more to suit your family's taste.
Chicken broth: I use a low-sodium broth, but you can use vegetable or beef broth/stock instead.
Shredded Cheese: Any good melting cheese will work. I usually go for Cheddar or Colby. Shredding the cheese yourself will give you a much smoother sauce.
Parmesan: This adds extra flavor to the sauce, but you can use extra shredded cheese. Store-bought pre-grated parmesan can leave your sauce grainy, so buying a block of parmesan and grating it yourself to get a luscious, smooth sauce is better.
Pasta: Any pasta shape will work here. We like to use penne or rigatoni, but you can use your family's favorite shape.
Recipe Tips
We've tested this recipe at least 3 times to ensure it works well for you. Have a look at our tips for getting the best dish you can!
- Remember to salt the water generously before adding your pasta; the recipe suggests 1 tablespoon of salt.
- To help get a perfect sauce consistency and allow it to coat the pasta, reserve 1½ cups of the pasta cooking water. Around ½ cup of pasta cooking water is added to the sauce, but it is a good idea to reserve extra in case the sauce thickens too much.
- When you add the garlic to the pan, cook it for 30 seconds and then move on to the next step. You don't want the garlic to burn.
- Add the broth/stock slowly and stir while you add it; this will help stop lumps from forming in your sauce.
- When you add the cheese to the sauce, gradually sprinkle it over the surface and stir after each addition; this lets the cheese incorporate rather than melt into a lump. It sounds tedious, but it only takes a minute and is well worth it.
Why You'll Love This Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta
- The smoked sausage gives the creamy, cheesy sauce so much extra flavor with little effort.
- It is cheesy goodness and the best kind of comfort food.
- It is the big sister of hotdogs and Kraft mac and cheese, so it is super familiar but also better!
- You can customize it to what you have available; the sausage, cheese, and pasta can all be swapped.
- It is ready in under 30 minutes, making a great quick meal.
Recipe Adaptions
These are all just suggestions and things that have worked in our test kitchen, but it is your dinner, so adapt it to suit your family. That is the beauty of cooking; we can all create our own delicious meals.
- You can substitute the half and half/single cream with milk.
- Use any smoked sausage that you and your family love. A smoked turkey sausage would work well.
- Swap the cheddar cheese for any cheese that melts well. Or use up the odds and ends that are in your refrigerator.
- Add baby spinach leaves to the sauce at the end of cooking.
- Fry mushrooms, celery, zucchini slices, or bell peppers with the onions to add extra vegetables to the dish.
- Add Pangrattato to the top of the pasta when you serve it (as pictured below)
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Serving Suggestions for Creamy Cheese Kielbasa Pasta
Sides: This creamy, cheesy goodness is perfect when you want comfort food, so I love a big bowl of it with some garlic bread! But if you want to be more virtuous, add an arugula salad or simple buttered vegetables.
Wine: The rich salty meat of a kielbasa works well with fruity wines. For white wine, go for a crisp, dry Riesling. The refreshing lemon and pear notes will balance the garlicky, salty meat. For red wine, go for one rich in fruit like Malbec or Merlot; these will balance the meat but won't overpower the cheese.
Enjoy x
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Get the Recipe
Creamy Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 12 oz pasta (see note 1)
- 1 tablespoon salt
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 14 oz smoked kielbasa sliced into ¼ inch slices
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 1½ cups low sodium chicken broth (see note 2)
- 1½ cups half and half/single cream
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried chives
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ cup cheese shredded (see note 3)
- ½ cup parmesan grated (see note 4)
Instructions
Cook the pasta
- Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Add the salt and cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the packet instructions.1 tablespoon salt12 oz pasta
- Once cooked, reserve 1½ cups of the pasta cooking liquid and drain the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based skillet over medium-high heat.2 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the sliced kielbasa and cook over high heat for 2 minutes.14 oz smoked kielbasa
- Add the chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes, then add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.1 small onion2 cloves garlic
- Sprinkle over the flour and stir to coat the onion and sausage.2 tablespoon flour
- Slowly add the broth in small amounts, stirring with every addition.1½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- Add the cream, oregano, dried thyme, dried chives, and black pepper, then bring to a simmer for 2 minutes.1½ cups half and half/single cream¼ teaspoon dried oregano¼ teaspoon dried thyme¼ teaspoon dried chives¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Gradually sprinkle over the shredded cheese and grated parmesan. Stir after each addition until it has all melted. Let the sauce simmer on very low heat until your pasta is cooked.1½ cup cheese½ cup parmesan
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce and ½ cup of the reserved cooking water.
- Stir the pasta gently until it's coated in the sauce, and cook everything for 1 minute, tossing gently. Add more pasta cooking water if the sauce gets too thick.
Notes
- Any pasta shape will work here. We like to use penne or rigatoni, but you can use your family's favorite shape.
- I use a low-sodium chicken broth, but you can use vegetable or beef broth/sock instead.
- Any good melting cheese will work. I usually go for Cheddar or Colby.
- Store-bought pre-grated parmesan can leave your sauce grainy, so buying a block of parmesan and grating it yourself to get a luscious, smooth sauce is better.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Jose says
Love it!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
So happy you enjoyed it Jose.
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment.
Cx
Krysteigh Masters says
This was fantastic!!! I did add the spinach, because why not sneak in a veggie? Sooo very good; this is something I will absolutely be making again and again. Thanks so much for the recipe and detailed instructions. Yummy 😋
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
I am so happy you enjoyed it Krysteigh 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment with sauce kind words.
Cx
Frank says
Love the recipe , at the end, I had a half a bag of frozen peas just for a vegetable, lol
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
So happy you loved it.
Peas a re a great addition.
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment.
Cx
Alayna Durham says
I made this for dinner tonight and it was a big hit! Will be making this again, next time I’m going to add some spinach and diced tomatoes to give it a little something extra! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
I am so happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Cx
Desiree says
Very easy and delicious, will make again
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
So happy you enjoyed it.
Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment.
Cx
Tami Norris says
Oh wow I just made this it was so easy, and it is amazing, the taste just lingers in your mouth in a good way. Hubs loves it. Thank you got tired of just doing the kabassi by itself.
Heather says
This is an easy and delicious recipe to make. Definitely one of my families favorites even the picky eater in my house. I add bell peppers and tomatoes on occasion.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
So happy you all enjoy it Heather.
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment 🙂
Cx
J'anna says
Best meal ever tasty so easy to make and so fulfilling my family loves it
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
It is a family favorite in our house too 🙂
So happy you enjoyed it.
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment.
Cx
Rose says
Very good,definitely a new favorite in our household. I left out some of the spices and it was still amazing.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
It is a fav of my kids too 🙂
So happy you all enjoyed it.
Cx
Melisa says
Just tried this, and it was amazing! I will definitely make this again!!!
Michelle says
I love how fast and easy it was to pull this kielbasa pasta dinner together. Not only did I get the meal on the table in no time, but it was a bit hit with everyone.
Lilly says
Made this for the kiddos tonight and it was just what they wanted - pasta, cream and sausages. My husband is taking the leftovers for work tomorrow so I added a touch of parmesan for even more flavor!
Calli says
I have never made a pasta dish with Kielbasa before so when I seen your recipe, I had to give it a try. WOW! This tasted amazing and was a perfect meal for a quick weeknight. I paired it with a simple side salad and everyone requested that I make it again!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Oh that makes me so happy 🙂 🙂
Thank you
Cx