By Spring is arriving in Baton Rouge — the real spring this time, not the February practice run. The azaleas that got confused in February are back and this time they mean it. The temperature is in the mid-seventies in the afternoon and the air smells like something that has been waiting. I walked home from Jada's house on Friday and the light was the particular gold of early March and I thought: this is the right time to be fourteen, in this city, with this light.
The science fair is over and I am in a post-project state that I know from experience will last about two weeks, during which I feel slightly unmoored because the big thing I was working toward is finished. I have been through this before, after the school science fair and after the semester exams. The solution is always the same: identify the next project before the current one ends so the transition does not produce a gap. I have already identified the next project — a state-level science fair entry next year, the full experimental design already drafted in my notebook. The gap is closed.
Mama made her spring cleaning jambalaya this weekend, which is what she calls the version she makes in March when she clears out the refrigerator and puts everything in the pot. This version had leftover rotisserie chicken, some andouille she had frozen, the last of the trinity vegetables, and a can of diced tomatoes. It tasted exactly like jambalaya. It always does. Jambalaya is one of those dishes that absorbs what you give it and becomes itself regardless. Mama says that is a metaphor. I said for what. She said for a lot of things.
Next Saturday I am going to MawMaw Shirley's for the final étouffée evaluation. She said she would taste it and tell me if I had learned it or if I still needed more lessons. I am going to learn it.
Mama’s spring cleaning jambalaya reminded me that the best one-pot meals come from trusting the process — you clear out what’s lingering in the fridge, let everything simmer together, and it becomes itself regardless. This one-pot Italian sausage pasta carries that same energy: sausage, tomatoes, whatever vegetables need using up, all in one pot with no apologies. It’s the kind of meal that matches the mid-seventies afternoon and the feeling of having just finished something big, when you want dinner to be satisfying but uncomplicated.
One Pot Italian Sausage Pasta
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or hot), casings removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 8 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta, uncooked
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the sausage. Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it into crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Sauté the vegetables. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add liquids and pasta. Pour in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Stir in the Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the uncooked pasta and stir well.
- Simmer until tender. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking, until the pasta is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
- Finish and serve. Remove from heat and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Let sit for 2 to 3 minutes so the cheese melts into the dish. Garnish with fresh basil if desired and serve directly from the pot.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 420 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 40g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 980mg