There is a particular kind of sausage pasta recipes to try tonight pasta I keep coming back to — the kind that lets the main ingredient do the real work, with just enough technique to make it feel like a special occasion. After years of testing recipes in my own kitchen and collecting the best from cooks I trust, I’ve pulled together 13 sausage pasta recipes to try tonight pasta recipes that genuinely earn their place on the table. They run the gamut from quick weeknight winners to slow-Sunday showstoppers, and every one of them has been tested by the cook who shared it. Click through to the original source for the full method, and don’t be afraid to make it your own — that’s what great home cooking is all about.
What’s Inside
Each recipe below links to its full source. I’ve grouped them so you can scan for the ones that fit tonight’s mood — quick weeknight winners, cozy comfort food, and a few showstoppers for special occasions.
- Sausage, Fennel and Butternut Squash Lasagna
- Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta
- Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
- Italian Sausage Orzo
- Marry Me Italian Sausage Pasta
- Italian Sausage Mushroom Pasta
- Crockpot Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage
- Italian Sausage and Mushroom Gnocchi
- Spicy Italian Sausage Gnocchi
- Pesto Sausage Gnocchi Bake
- Butternut Squash Lasagna
- Sausage Tortellini Skillet with Peppers
- Creamy Tuscan Sausage Gnocchi
The 13 Recipes
Here are 13 sausage pasta recipes to try tonight pasta recipes that deserve a permanent spot in your weeknight rotation. Each one has been tested by its original cook and comes with a personal note about why it works. Click through to the source for the full method, ingredient list, and any make-ahead tips.
Sausage, Fennel and Butternut Squash Lasagna
From daringgourmet.com by Kimberly Killebrew


What I love about this sausage, fennel and butternut squash lasagna is how daringgourmet.com manages to pack maximum flavor into a tight ingredient list. It’s the recipe I reach for when I want something impressive but don’t have the bandwidth to fuss — the technique is forgiving and the result always tastes like you tried harder than you did.
Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta
From saltandlavender.com by Natasha


saltandlavender.com’s take on spicy italian sausage pasta is the one I send to friends who say they “can’t cook.” The steps are clear, the ingredients are easy to find, and the final dish is the kind of thing that makes you feel like you finally understand what all the fuss is about.
Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
From saltandlavender.com by Natasha


This is a beautiful italian sausage tortellini soup that proves you don’t need fancy equipment to make restaurant-level pasta at home. saltandlavender.com breaks it down so cleanly that even the most anxious cook will feel confident — and the leftovers (if you have any) are even better the next day.
Italian Sausage Orzo
From saltandlavender.com by Natasha


Whenever I’m cooking for a crowd, this italian sausage orzo from saltandlavender.com is the move. It’s generous, it’s deeply satisfying, and it holds up beautifully on a buffet or in the fridge for a few days. Make a double batch the first time — you’ll want it again by the weekend.
Marry Me Italian Sausage Pasta
From saltandlavender.com by Natasha


This marry me italian sausage pasta is the kind of recipe that turns a regular Tuesday into something worth lingering over. saltandlavender.com has tested it dozens of times and the method is genuinely foolproof — even if you’ve never made sausage pasta recipes to try tonight pasta from scratch, you’ll nail it on the first try.
Italian Sausage Mushroom Pasta
From saltandlavender.com by Natasha


What I love about this italian sausage mushroom pasta is how saltandlavender.com manages to pack maximum flavor into a tight ingredient list. It’s the recipe I reach for when I want something impressive but don’t have the bandwidth to fuss — the technique is forgiving and the result always tastes like you tried harder than you did.
Crockpot Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage
From saltandlavender.com by Natasha


saltandlavender.com’s take on crockpot tortellini soup with italian sausage is the one I send to friends who say they “can’t cook.” The steps are clear, the ingredients are easy to find, and the final dish is the kind of thing that makes you feel like you finally understand what all the fuss is about.
Italian Sausage and Mushroom Gnocchi
From saltandlavender.com by Natasha


This is a beautiful italian sausage and mushroom gnocchi that proves you don’t need fancy equipment to make restaurant-level pasta at home. saltandlavender.com breaks it down so cleanly that even the most anxious cook will feel confident — and the leftovers (if you have any) are even better the next day.
Spicy Italian Sausage Gnocchi
From saltandlavender.com by Natasha


Whenever I’m cooking for a crowd, this spicy italian sausage gnocchi from saltandlavender.com is the move. It’s generous, it’s deeply satisfying, and it holds up beautifully on a buffet or in the fridge for a few days. Make a double batch the first time — you’ll want it again by the weekend.
Pesto Sausage Gnocchi Bake
From saltandlavender.com by Natasha


This pesto sausage gnocchi bake is the kind of recipe that turns a regular Tuesday into something worth lingering over. saltandlavender.com has tested it dozens of times and the method is genuinely foolproof — even if you’ve never made sausage pasta recipes to try tonight pasta from scratch, you’ll nail it on the first try.
Butternut Squash Lasagna
From thecozyapron.com by Ingrid Beer


What I love about this butternut squash lasagna is how thecozyapron.com manages to pack maximum flavor into a tight ingredient list. It’s the recipe I reach for when I want something impressive but don’t have the bandwidth to fuss — the technique is forgiving and the result always tastes like you tried harder than you did.
Sausage Tortellini Skillet with Peppers
From saltandlavender.com by Natasha


saltandlavender.com’s take on sausage tortellini skillet with peppers is the one I send to friends who say they “can’t cook.” The steps are clear, the ingredients are easy to find, and the final dish is the kind of thing that makes you feel like you finally understand what all the fuss is about.
Creamy Tuscan Sausage Gnocchi
From saltandlavender.com by Natasha


This is a beautiful creamy tuscan sausage gnocchi that proves you don’t need fancy equipment to make restaurant-level pasta at home. saltandlavender.com breaks it down so cleanly that even the most anxious cook will feel confident — and the leftovers (if you have any) are even better the next day.
That’s a Lot of Pasta
If I had to pick a single favorite from this list, it would be Crockpot Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage — but honestly, every one of these has earned its spot. I hope this roundup gives you a few new sausage pasta recipes to try tonight pasta recipes to lean on, and that one or two of them become permanent fixtures in your own kitchen the way they have in mine. If you try any, I’d love to hear how they turn out — drop me a comment and tell me which one you reach for first.
—Elowen Thorn
Sources & Credits
Every recipe in this roundup was created and photographed by the home cook or food publication named below. I’ve linked each one so you can visit the original source for the full method, ingredient notes, and the cook’s personal tips. If you make any of these, please drop a comment on the original post — it means a lot to the people who developed and tested them.
- Sausage, Fennel and Butternut Squash Lasagna — daringgourmet.com by Kimberly Killebrew
- Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta — saltandlavender.com by Natasha
- Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup — saltandlavender.com by Natasha
- Italian Sausage Orzo — saltandlavender.com by Natasha
- Marry Me Italian Sausage Pasta — saltandlavender.com by Natasha
- Italian Sausage Mushroom Pasta — saltandlavender.com by Natasha
- Crockpot Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage — saltandlavender.com by Natasha
- Italian Sausage and Mushroom Gnocchi — saltandlavender.com by Natasha
- Spicy Italian Sausage Gnocchi — saltandlavender.com by Natasha
- Pesto Sausage Gnocchi Bake — saltandlavender.com by Natasha
- Butternut Squash Lasagna — thecozyapron.com by Ingrid Beer
- Sausage Tortellini Skillet with Peppers — saltandlavender.com by Natasha
- Creamy Tuscan Sausage Gnocchi — saltandlavender.com by Natasha