Who doesn’t love a cheesy and easy weeknight dinner? This recipe is a play on mac & cheese – for when you don’t have any macaroni in the pantry! I added in the kielbasa to make this and all in one meal. Simple to make and simple to eat – you are going to be adding this Spaghetti & Cheese recipe to your last minute meals list for sure!
I use all beef kielbasa most of the time. But this recipe will work just as well with turkey, or pork kielbasa. If you can’t find kielbasa you can use a smoked sausage. The difference between is really only about the way that they are seasoned. Kielbasa has the distinct flavor of garlic and marjoram. While smoked sausages tend to have more flavors of chili powder or paprika as the prominent note.
Before I get the heat for directing people to break the spaghetti – it really is just about ease of use. If you leave it whole, it will be difficult to keep it from clumping. But if you want to leave it whole you will just have to give a little extra attention as it softens up. Of course you could use other types of pasta – but then it wouldn’t be Spaghetti & Cheese after all.
If you haven’t gotten a large enough saute pan yet, then you really need to get on that. For most of my one-pot dishes, I use my 12 inch Ninja Kitchen Saute pan. It is the perfect size (width and depth) to cook food evenly. It also has a secure fitting lid – so it really fits the bill for my weeknight meals – I use mine almost every night.
Now Let’s Get Cookin’!
Spaghetti & Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 2 lb Kielbasa cut into ½ inch slices
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 6 cups Broth chicken, beef or vegetable
- 1½ lb Spaghetti broken in half
- 3 cups Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
Instructions
- In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add oil. Once hot, add kielbasa and seasonings. Cook for 3 minutes then add pasta and broth.
- Bring just a bubble, while stiring pasta, as it softens. Reduce heat to medium and cover with a lid. Let cook 20 minutes.
- Remove lid and stir in heavy cream and cheese. Remove from heat and replace lid. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
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Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS
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This recipe looks delicious Estelle. My husband would love it, it has all his favorites! Thank you for sharing your inspiration!
What a yummy variation of the old standard! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party. Hope your week is great!