30 Italian Sausage Dinner Recipes That the Whole Family Will Love

Nicole Rufus
Nicole RufusAssistant Food Editor
Nicole is the Assistant Food Editor at Kitchn. She writes about recipes as well as developing some of her own. You can usually find her playing around in the kitchen or online “window” shopping. She currently resides in Brooklyn and is getting her master’s in Food Studies.
Jan Valdez
Jan ValdezAssistant Recipe Producer
I cover recipe content on The Kitchn, write and update recipes and recipe roundups, and test recipes for the team. I have 10 years of experience working in R&D test kitchens, testing products and recipes, and at publishers including Serious Eats and EatingWell.
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Overhead shot of pasta alla boscaiola in a yellow pot, topped with herbs and cheese.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe ; Food Stylist: James Park

Italian sausage is one of my favorite proteins. It packs a lot of flavor, and yet it still manages to pair well with just about anything. Whether you like yours sweet, spicy, or mild, there are plenty of things you can make at home with it. Of course there’s pasta, which is usually the first thing that comes to mind when people think about Italian sausage, but that’s really just the beginning. Soups, casseroles, and sheet pan dinners are all great ways to turn sausage into a meal.

From pastas to polenta, here are 30 Italian sausage recipes to try right now.

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Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup

This sausage tortellini soup has it all: Meaty chunks of sausage, pillowy cheese tortellini, a whole package of leafy greens, and a rich, super-creamy broth packed with flavor. The best part is that it’s a true weeknight soup. There’s minimal prep, mostly hands-off cooking, and, because the tortellini cooks directly in the soup, you only need one pot.

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Sausage and Peppers

The real beauty of sausage and peppers is that it’s an incredibly simple and straightforward one-pan meal that packs in seriously big flavor, with the savory sausage mingling with soft, sweet peppers.

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Zuppa Toscana

This creamy soup, made popular by Olive Garden, is sure to become an instant classic in your home. Serve it with plenty of crusty bread for a cozy weeknight dinner.

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Pasta alla Boscaiola

Made with dried mushrooms, Italian sausage, tomato sauce, and heavy cream, pasta alla boscaiola will be your new favorite Italian comfort food.

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Creamy Gnocchi with Kale and Sausage

Instead of making béchamel, store-bought Boursin cheese acts as the sauce, melting into the sausage and hearty kale, making it the perfect backdrop for the garlic and herbs.

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Pasta Alla Zozzona

The four classic Roman pastas — spaghetti carbonara, cacio e pepe, pasta alla gricia, and bucatini all’amatriciana — are simple, restrained, and focused on highlighting a few key ingredients in an artful way. Now, throw all that restraint out the window and add some Italian sausage and you’ve got pasta alla zozzona.

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Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed bell peppers are literally stuffed with everything your dinner needs. The veggies, starch, and protein are all packed into colorful, single-serving “cups” and finished with a cap of melty, browned shredded cheese.

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Sunday Sauce

A rich marinara-like sauce cooked with beef chuck roast and Italian sausage for several hours on the stovetop, creating both a pasta sauce with lots of depth and braised pieces of meat in tow.

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Johnny Marzetti

Johnny Marzetti is an iconic staple of potluck dinners and school cafeterias in the U.S. This extra-cheesy casserole only calls for a handful of ingredients for an easy weeknight dinner.

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Chicken Scarpariello with Sausage and Peppadew Peppers

Chicken Scarpariello is a classic Italian-American recipe that features braised chicken with pickled peppers and rosemary.

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Weeknight Sausage Pasta with Spinach

This pasta with Italian sausage and heaps of baby spinach is a satisfying 35-minute meal that’s sure to become your weeknight standby.

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Extra-Cheesy White Lasagna

If creamy pasta makes you weak in the knees, white lasagna is going to be right up your alley. Unlike lasagnas made with marinara, you won’t find a drop of red sauce in sight. Here you get layers of hearty pasta, ricotta cheese, mozzarella, Italian sausage crumbles, and an entire pound of fresh spinach.

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Sausage Meatball Soup

This homemade meatball soup is pure comfort, with a brothy tomato base that’s filled with al dente pasta, wilted spinach, and bite-sized meatballs.

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Baked Mostaccioli with Sausage

Whether you call it baked ziti or mostaccioli, it's impossible to dislike this tender pasta dish tossed in red sauce, topped with cheese, and baked until bubbling and browned.

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One-Pot Meatballs & Pasta Os

Make everyone around the table excited about dinner with this recipe for pasta and meatballs inspired by spaghettios.

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Sausage-and-Peppers Stuffed Eggplant

A classic combination of Italian sausage and sweet peppers ensures these eggplant boats are hearty and satisfying.

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One-Pot Orecchiette with Sausage, Peppers, and Greens

All it takes is one pot, Italian sausage, roasted red peppers, and whatever tender greens you have handy to create a delicious pasta dinner with a simple white wine sauce.

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Cheesy Pasta al Forno with Italian Sausage

Pockets of melty mozzarella, crumbles of juicy Italian sausage, and saucy rigatoni join forces in this baked pasta dinner that’s guaranteed to be a winner. Beyond the jarred marinara sauce (which keeps this meal weeknight-friendly), there are plenty of make-ahead moments to keep things as stress-free as possible.

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Crispy Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Mushrooms, Sausage, and Butternut Squash

Chunks of sweet butternut squash, join earthy mushrooms, sweet red onion, juicy sausage, and plenty of chopped rosemary for a sheet pan dinner that's ready in 30 minutes.

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Slow Cooker Sausages with Peppers and Onions

Throwing everything into a slow cooker means you can come back to tender sausages that have been gently braising in beer, with a pile of sweet peppers and onions coated in grainy mustard right on top.

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Gnocchi Lasagna with Spinach, White Beans, and Sausage

This crowd-pleasing casserole is surprisingly light and fresh, thanks to the addition of spinach and white beans.

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French Bread Pizza

A quick and simple recipe for French bread pizza which can be customized with your favorite toppings (use cooked Italian sausage!) and pizza sauce.

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Sausage and Tomato Risotto

A hearty recipe for risotto filled with tomatoes, crumbled Italian sausage, and fresh basil, that is garnished with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese. It’s a one-pot dish simple enough for a weeknight yet just fancy enough for a casual dinner party with friends on the weekend.

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Spicy Sausage Bread

This hearty, homemade bread is made with ground sausage rolled in pizza dough.

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Italian Sausage and Peppers Baked Ziti

While the baked ziti is in the oven, all you need to do is throw together a salad, or steam (or grill!) some vegetables to serve with it. A glass of nice red wine also wouldn’t be amiss here.

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Slab Pasta Pie

This sheet tray bake is easy to slice, equally easy to eat, and should quickly sneak its way into your nightly rotation.

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Sausage and Kale Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Spicy sausage, juicy tomatoes, salty cheese, and buttery strands of spaghetti squash — this satisfying dinner has it all, and it’s incredibly easy too.

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Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Sausage and Peppers

An easy recipe for 3-ingredient sheet pan gnocchi with Italian sausage and peppers.

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