One Pot Pasta with Sausage Meatballs

By Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound good-quality thin beef or pork sausages (cut into 3/4-inch (18-mm) pieces)
1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 medium carrot (peeled and finely diced)
1 medium celery stalk (finely diced)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons tomato paste
One (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups store-bought or homemade low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces penne, ziti, or rigatoni
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (such as Colby, Jack, or mozzarella)
1 teaspoon finely chopped Italian parsley (optional)

Prep Time20mins
Cook Time40mins
Servings4

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage pieces and cook, stirring regularly, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a bowl.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the saucepan, then return it to the stove. Stir in the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, bay leaf, and rosemary, and cook until the onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly, about 1 minute.

Pour in the crushed tomatoes, broth, and water, and season with the salt and pepper. Stir in the pasta and meatballs and bring it to a simmer.

Reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer, then cover and cook, stirring regularly, until the pasta is al dente, 18 to 20 minutes. TESTER TIP: It's really important to stir the pasta every few minutes, or it may stick to the bottom of your pan.

Remove the lid, discard the bay leaf, and stir the pasta vigorously for 10 seconds. It will still be quite saucy at this point.

Sprinkle the cheese over the pasta. Cover and let it rest until the cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately, sprinkled with parsley, if desired.