One Pot Pasta with Italian Sausage, Beef, and Cream Recipe
This One Pot Pasta recipe is a hearty, comforting dish where spaghetti cooks directly in a rich and flavorful sauce made from sautéed vegetables, Italian sausage, ground beef, and a blend of aromatic herbs and spices. Finished with heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, this dish is perfect for a satisfying family meal with minimal cleanup.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 onion (medium), chopped into ⅛ to ¼ inch pieces
- 2 carrots (medium), chopped into ⅛ to ¼ inch pieces
- 2 stalks celery, chopped into ⅛ to ¼ inch pieces
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped finely
Meat
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 pound ground beef (85/15)
Liquids and Sauces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 cups passata plus ½ cup water mixed in bottle
- ½ cup heavy cream (at room temperature)
Seasonings and Herbs
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 sprigs fresh basil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 sprig fresh thyme (optional)
- red pepper flakes (to taste)
Other
- 1 pound spaghetti (uncooked noodles)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated), plus more for garnish
- fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Chop the Veggies. Begin by finely chopping the onion, carrots, and celery stalks into uniform ⅛ to ¼ inch pieces to ensure even cooking. A mandolin slicer can help achieve consistent cuts.
- Saute the Vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a 5.5-quart Dutch oven over medium-low heat until slightly sizzling. Add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Brown the Meat. On low heat, add the ground beef and Italian sausage to the Dutch oven. Cook the meats, stirring occasionally, until they are browned and completely cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drain excess grease if desired.
- Return Vegetables to the Pot. Add the sautéed vegetables back into the Dutch oven with the browned meat, mixing together to combine.
- Make the Sauce. Add 1 cup of beef broth to the meat and vegetable mixture, then pour in the passata and the ½ cup of water used to rinse the passata bottle. Stir in sugar, Worcestershire sauce, fresh basil leaves, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and the optional fresh thyme sprig.
- Simmer the Sauce. Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and let the sauce simmer on very low heat for 1 hour. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. If the sauce thickens too much (like chili consistency), add additional beef broth (1 to 2 cups) as needed.
- Add the Pasta. Increase the heat to bring the sauce up to a gentle boil. Add the uncooked spaghetti noodles, breaking them in half if necessary to fit. Stir frequently to prevent noodles from sticking or burning. If the sauce seems thick, add water in ¼ cup increments. Cook until noodles are al dente, about 15 minutes.
- Add the Dairy. Stir in the heavy cream and freshly grated Parmesan cheese until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy and rich. Immediately remove the pot from heat and discard the basil and thyme sprigs.
- Garnish and Serve. Serve the pasta immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and additional grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Cooking the meat and vegetables separately allows better browning but they can be cooked together if short on time.
- Stir the sauce occasionally while simmering to prevent burning or sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Adjust the liquid during pasta cooking by adding water or broth as needed to achieve the right consistency.
- Breaking spaghetti in half helps it fit evenly in the Dutch oven for one-pot cooking.
- Use fresh herbs for best flavor; remove sprigs before serving.
