Go Back
Penne Pasta in red sauce with Kielbasa
Print Recipe

Red Sauce Penne Pasta

This meal is so quick and easy and it's such a crowd pleaser. I kid you not, even kids love this meal. You can make this pasta dish dairy free or load the top with cheese. Serve it with a simple salad and garlic bread. Yum!
Servings: 8 people
Author: Ashley Watt (Poor Doctor's Wife)

Ingredients

  • ½ onion chopped
  • 1 Kielbasa
  • 1 carrot, peeled and grated
  • 1 15oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 Tbsp dry Basil
  • ½ tsp Nutmeg
  • 1 can diced tomatoes or can diced Fire Roasted tomatoes adds more flavor
  • 2 Tbsp butter optional
  • 2 cups Spinach
  • 1 box Penne Pasta
  •  Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • dash Red Pepper Flakes (optional but it shouldn't be)

Instructions

*If adding spinach:

  • Before I cook the pasta. I put the spinach into the pot of boiling water. I let the spinach wilt a bit, only a few seconds. Take the Spinach out with a slotted spoon and put it all in a strainer and run cold water over it. Then I ring out the excess water out of the spinach. I'll shape the spinach into a ball and cut a few times. Then set aside.
  • Cook penne in a large pot according to package directions. Drain and set aside,
  • Cut the Kielbasa Sausage, and heat in a large pan. Browning the kielbasa on both sides if possible (you can decide how browned you like it, I like a little char on my the kielbasa). Set aside.
  • In the same large pan that you cooked the sausage, sauté onion in a little olive oil until translucent. Grate Carrot and cook for a minute. Add tomato sauce, basil, salt, and nutmeg. Simmer sauce on medium heat for about 10 min, stirring occasionally.
  • Optional: add red pepper flakes
  • Optional: Stir in butter and remove from heat. If Dairy Free omit this step.
  • Add the Sausage to the sauce and mix it together. Then add the noodles to the sauce. Sometimes I don't add the entire box of noodles, it depends on the sauce to noodle ratio you prefer. If you're not adding cheese, you are done! Serve with Salad and garlic bread!

If Adding Cheese:

  • You can either mix the noodles in the pan with sauce in it, or you can put your noodles in a baking dish and pour the sauce on top. Then proceed to mix up the sauce and noodles in the baking dish. Then Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese! If pasta is still warm, broil for 5- 10 minutes until cheese is browned and bubbly!

If Making Ahead of time

  • After you sprinkle on the cheese, cover it with foil. Preheat oven to 350° degrees Fahrenheit. When ready to pop in the oven. Take it out of the fridge and keep covered. Cook for 15 minutes covered and then remove foil. Cook for 10-15 minutes uncovered and then broil a few minutes longer.

Freezer Meal without Cheese

  • Put the Pasta mixture in a foil casserole dish or even a plastic gallon freezer bag. Thaw the night before. Preheat oven to 350° degrees Fahrenheit. When ready to pop in the oven. Take it out of the fridge and keep covered. Cook for 15 minutes covered and then remove foil. Cook for 10 minutes uncovered. Or if using a plastic bag dump the thawed pasta mixture and heat covered in a pan and then once it's warm remove lid and serve.

Freezer Meal with Cheese

  • Put the Pasta mixture in a foil casserole dish, add cheese and cover. Put it in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge the night before. Preheat oven to 350° degrees Fahrenheit. When ready to pop in the oven. Take it out of the fridge and keep covered. Cook for 15 minutes covered and then remove foil. Cook for 10-15 minutes uncovered and then broil a few minutes longer.