Kielbasa and Pepper Pasta with Tomatoes is a budget-friendly and kid-friendly dinner that is ready in less than 30 minutes. It is incredibly delicious, easy to prepare and filling!
The only thing better than a quick and wholesome dinner is a quick and wholesome KID-FRIENDLY dinner! With this kielbasa and pepper pasta recipe, you won't need to worry about making a second dinner for your kids. Or listening to "I don't like it" before they've even tried it.
I have been making this simple kielbasa and pepper pasta for at least a decade now. While I have made a few variations of it, this one here is our favorite. It is so simple that even the most kitchen-inclined person can make this kielbasa and pepper pasta perfect every time.
My husband loves to make this for that very reason, and it turns out so great that the last time he made it, my 5 year old gulped down THREE bowls. The entire time telling him, "Daddy, this is the best dinner I've ever had". 😍 So sweet.
This kielbasa and pepper pasta recipe is a simple and delicious dinner to make during the busy weeknights, the cold fall and winter months, and days when you simply need a hearty comforting meal.
And even better? It only costs about $7 to make the entire meal for a family of 4. That is super cheap!
Ingredients
It is amazing how delicious something so easy and made with only a few basic ingredients can be.
This kielbasa and pepper pasta recipe is made with 8 easy ingredients:
- turkey kielbasa
- sliced green peppers
- diced canned tomatoes
- onions + garlic
- Italian seasoning
- spaghetti
- butter
- parmesan cheese
I believe that every good sauce or base is made with olive oil, onions, and garlic. Not only is this combination good for you, the onions and garlic are incredibly flavorful and give the entire recipe a healthy, flavor-packed boost.
You can also use beef kielbasa, but we like turkey kielbasa because it is healthier, contains less calories, and has more protein.
For added flavor, use canned tomatoes with seasonings. But really, this recipe is so good as it is that I don't think you need to worry about this
Our favorite pasta for this is thin spaghetti or angel hair, but use what you've got in the pantry.
Step-By-Step Directions
Making this kielbasa and pepper pasta recipe takes 25 minutes from start to finish. Here are the steps:
First, bring salted water to a boil in a large pot and cook the spaghetti according to the package.
Cut the kielbasa ring into thin pieces, about ¼ to ½ inch thick. In a large pan with a few tablespoons of oil, brown the kielbasa on medium high heat for 5 minutes. You should flip it once, until it looks like the picture below.
While the kielbasa browns, cut the peppers into thin slices. Roughly chop the onion and slice the garlic into thin pieces. Add to the pan with the browned kielbasa and cook until the onions and peppers soften, about 5 minutes. Stir the mix occasionally, scraping the tasty brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
After 5 minutes, add the tomatoes with their juices and the Italian seasoning. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
At the end, season with salt and pepper to your liking. If you'd like more sauce, you can add a little bit of water.
While the kielbasa and pepper mix is simmering, drain the pasta. Mix it with the butter and Parmesan.
To serve kielbasa and pepper pasta, toss the kielbasa and pepper mix with the spaghetti and sprinkle with extra Parmesan. Or, spoon the spaghetti into individual serving bowls and top with the kielbasa and pepper mix.
Kielbasa and Pepper Pasta with Tomatoes
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 16 ounces spaghetti or angel hair
- 4 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
For the Kielbasa Stir Fry
- 1 package turkey or beef kielbasa
- 1 green pepper
- 1 onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- While pasta cooks, slice kielbasa into small round pieces. Over medium heat in a large pan, brown in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes, flipping once half way through.
- Thinly slice the peppers and garlic and dice the onion. Add to the pan with browned kielbasa and cook for 5 minutes, until onions and peppers soften. Stir frequently.
- Add the diced tomatoes and their juices and Italian seasoning. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- When pasta is done, toss with butter and Parmesan cheese. Serve the kielbasa mix over pasta, with additional Parmesan if desired.
Nutrition
How To Make It Kid-Friendly
Since we are in the "i hate anything green" stage of weird childhood eating habits, I have to take out all the peppers for my daughter to eat this. This isn't that big of a deal though, because they are large.
For smaller children who still like their greens, you can dice the peppers or chop them into smaller pieces. For my little one year old, I dice them into tiny pieces after they are cooked.
Other than the peppers, this meal is completely packed with kid-friendly foods, so hopefully your children love it!
Since we love kielbasa and pepper pasta, I've made it a few different ways. You can also make this kielbasa and pepper pasta recipe with an assortment of colored bell peppers instead of green.
My husband's favorite way to make it is to brown the kielbasa first and then set it aside while sauteing the garlic, onions, and peppers. Then add it back to the pan with the tomatoes. He feels that the kielbasa stays a little "crispier". I like my kielbasa softer. So try it both ways and see what you think.
For a "fresher" version of my kielbasa and pepper pasta, replace the canned tomatoes with chopped fresh tomatoes. You can use 6 plum tomatoes to replace 1 can of diced tomatoes.
And that is all there is to making this delicious kielbasa and pepper pasta recipe. I hope that you enjoy this family favorite recipe. If you've made it, let me know in the comments below. I'd love to hear what you thought!
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