We’re all cooking at home more, and if you’re like me, you’re looking to expand your arsenal of healthy, family-friendly meals that can be ready on the table quickly. One of my go-to tricks for a super-fast dinner is to use smoked sausage. Since it’s fully cooked, it drastically cuts your time in the kitchen and adds a whole lot of effortless flavor.
This post is sponsored by Hempler’s.
Hempler’s makes a whole line of smoked sausage, and every single one of them is fantastic. My current fave is their Salt & Pepper Smoked Sausage (super versatile!) but my family’s current obsession is their Double Smoked Sausage (direct quote: “This tastes like a whole giant sausage made of bacon!”). Some of the other regulars on the rotation are their Andouille (perfect in my gumbo) and Pepper Jack Cheese Smoked Sausage.
But my husband’s hands-down winner is the Andouille with Jalapeno and Cheese.
So that’s the one I decided to use when developing this next recipe. And since we’re minimizing trips to the store these days, I tried to maximize ingredients you probably already have in your freezer or pantry. Ready to make a crowd-pleaser for dinner tonight? Try this.
Southwest Skillet Pasta
Ingredients:
- 3 links of Hempler’s Andouille with Jalapeno & Cheese, sliced into rounds
- 2.5 cups dry penne pasta
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1/2 cup canned or frozen corn
- 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 Tb. butter
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- chopped cilantro (optional; for garnish)
Instructions:
- Melt butter over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add red onions and sausage rounds; saute until sausage rounds are browned and remove them from the skillet. Set aside.
- Add chicken stock and Rotel tomatoes to the skillet. Bring to a boil.
- Add pasta, corn, and black beans. Stir to combine, then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Place a lid on the skillet and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is al dente, stirring 1-2 times during cooking.
- When pasta is finished, add the sausage and shredded cheddar and stir to combine. Garnish with cilantro.
Need more quick & easy dinner ideas? Check out all recipes from our What’s Cookin’ recipe series:
