This easy rotini pasta recipe is made in less than 30 minutes, making it perfect for a quick weeknight dinner with the family. The one pot dish is made with Italian sausage, grape tomatoes, and fresh basil for a delicious and filling meal that everyone is sure to love.
This post was originally published in June 2021 and has been updated for content.
A quick and easy pasta recipe is always on the dinner rotation at our house. Everyone loves pasta and it's so easy to whip up.
Serve this rotini pasta recipe alongside polenta cakes, roasted artichokes with parmesan or spinach salad with pears.
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🍝 Ingredient notes
- Pasta - I used rotini pasta for this recipe, however, penne, rigatoni, or even macaroni noodles would work as well!
- Italian sausage - The local grocery store by our house sells both chicken and pork Italian sausage in both the sweet and spicy varieties. I used sweet ground chicken italian sausage for this recipe, but if you like things a bit zestier, try spicy! Sliced sausage can also be used as well if you like.
- Tomatoes - Grape tomatoes are my favorite for this rotini pasta recipe. They are small, cook relatively quickly, and are easy to eat. Alternatively, cherry tomatoes can also be used. If you decide to use larger tomatoes that are cut into smaller pieces, they will only need about a minute to heat through. Cooking them any longer than that will make them mushy.
- Basil - Fresh basil is tossed in at the end for extra flavor, color, and freshness. Dried basil can be used as well, however, I recommend adding that in when you add the tomatoes and garlic to give it some extra time to release its flavor.
📋 Substitutions and variations
- Vegetarian - Omit the sausage to make this rotini pasta recipe vegetarian.
- Gluten free - Use your favorite gluten free pasta to make this dish gluten free.
- Spicy - Use spicy Italian sausage instead of sweet and add some crushed red pepper flakes with the tomatoes and garlic for a zestier dish.
- Extra veggies - Add cooked asparagus or greens beans for even more vegetables.
🔪 Step by step instructions
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water till al dente. Drain the cooked pasta and set it aside. Return the same pot back to the heat and cook the Italian sausage in the olive oil until it's browned.
Add in the tomatoes and fresh garlic and cook until the tomatoes just start to burst. Stir in the cooked rotini pasta and the fresh basil into the pot with the sausage and tomatoes and toss everything to combine.
If you ever don't recognize a tool or skill that I mention, be sure to look it up in the Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information.
⭐ Expert tips
- Make sure to cook pasta in salted water to flavor your pasta for the best end result.
- Only cook the pasta until it's al dente so that it doesn't get mushy. Al dente means that it's cook through, but still has a slight bite to it.
🥡 Storage suggestions
Leftover rotini pasta with italian sausage will keep in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the refrigerator and can be reheated in a microwave or in a pot on the stovetop with a bit of chicken broth.
For a quick overview of this recipe, check out my recipe for this easy rotini pasta recipe!
🍝 More pasta recipes
If you loved this rotini pasta recipe with Italian sausage, check out these other pasta recipes that I know you will love.
- Carbonara Mac and Cheese
- Roasted Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
- Casarecce Pasta with Asparagus and Peas
- Roasted Eggplant Spinach Pasta
📖 Recipe
Rotini Pasta with Italian Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 pound rotini pasta
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground sweet italian sausage chicken or pork
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- 10-12 large fresh basil leaves chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot with 4 quarts of water to boil over medium high heat on the stove top.
- Once the water boils, add in salt and rotini pasta and stir to combine. Cook pasta until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Return the same pot back to the stovetop and reduce the heat to medium. Add olive oil and Italian sausage and cook until the sausage is just browned, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add in grape tomatoes and minced garlic and cook another 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes start to burst.
- Add fresh basil and cooked pasta and toss to combine.
- Serve with extra fresh basil or parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Make sure to cook pasta in salted water to flavor your pasta for the best end result.
- Only cook the pasta until it's al dente so that it doesn't get mushy. Al dente means that it's cook through, but still has a slight bite to it.
Substitutions and Variations
- Pasta - Penne, rigatoni, or macaroni can be used instead of rotini.
- Sausage - Chicken or pork sausage may be used as well as mild or spicy. Sliced sausage can also be used.
- Basil - Dried basil can be used, but should be added with the garlic and tomatoes.
- Vegetarian - Omit the sausage to make this dish vegetarian.
- Gluten free - Use your favorite gluten free pasta to make this dish gluten free.
- Spicy - Use spicy Italian sausage instead of sweet and add some crushed red pepper flakes with the tomatoes and garlic for a zestier dish.
- Extra veggies - Add cooked asparagus or greens beans for even more vegetables.
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