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Homemade mac and cheese with sausage and bell peppers smothered in marinara sauce and cream. This skillet mac and cheese is a perfect weeknight family dinner as it takes only 30 minutes and is made in one pan!
In this mac and cheese recipe, everything is cooked in one skillet: sausage, bell peppers, and even pasta! The clean-up after dinner is super easy! This dish will become your family's favorite!
I've made this homemade mac and cheese with sausage and bell peppers a couple of weeks ago as my lunch to take to work - and it was so good and easy to make!
How to make skillet mac and cheese
First, start by cooking sausage on medium heat, in a large skillet until the meat is brown. Drain off fat. Then, add diced bell peppers:
Next, add dried elbow macaroni, marinara sauce, and water:
Bring to boil; reduce heat to simmer. Simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes until macaroni is tender, occasionally stirring. Add half and half, sprinkle with cheese, and mix everything well. Remove from heat, cover and let it sit for about 2 minutes or until the cheese melts:
Your pasta is ready to serve: only 45 minutes from start to finish!
Mac and Cheese with Sausage and Bell Peppers (30-Minute, One-Pan Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork sausage
- 2 bell peppers diced
- 8 oz elbow macaroni uncooked
- 18 oz marinara sauce
- 18 oz water
- ⅓ cup half and half
- ⅓ cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet cook sausage on medium heat, until meat is brown. Drain off fat.
- Add diced bell peppers, dried elbow macaroni, marinara sauce, and water. Bring to boil; reduce heat to simmer. Simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes until macaroni is tender, occasionally stirring.
- Add half and half, sprinkle with cheese, and mix everything well. Remove from heat, cover and let it sit for about 2 minutes or until cheese melts.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Can you use half hamburger/half mild sausage for this recipe for meat content?
Absolutely! It's a great idea!
Does dried macaroni mean uncooked?
Yes, correct! Uncooked elbow macaroni.
How much water do you add?
Recipe says 18 ounces of water
Yes, correct. 18 oz of water.
Turkey sausage works very well with this , we have this at least once a week. Great meal
So happy to hear that, Pamela! Using turkey sausage is a great idea!
Hi Julia ,please could you tell what is half and half ,thank you
Half and half is a US milk product that combines milk and cream. To make 1 cup of half and half, combine 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup of heavy cream (or cream that has at least 30% milk fat).
This is an every other week staple for me and my husband. This is absolutely my most favorite recipe found on Pinterest.
Wow, Ashley, your comment made my day! 🙂 Thank you! So glad you came over to my site and left such a kind comment! 🙂
How much water did you use?
Since my family don't eat pork, I substitute for ground Turkey sausage. It was a huge hit with the kids. Thanks can't wait to try it again.
So glad your family liked this dish! Turkey sausage sounds delicious in this recipe.
Wil this recipe work in Colorado be because of the high altitudes? Do I need to make any changes to it?
Yes, this recipe will work as is at high altitudes.
Very easy, very good. Well done. Thank you
You're very welcome! Glad you liked it!
This recipe is my weekly go to. Thank you so much for sharing.
You're very welcome! I am glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Shouldn't the pictures of your food match the list of ingredients in your recipe? Recipe calls for red AND green peppers, yet I see no green peppers. I do see green onions, but that is not listed in the recipe at all.
I added diced onions and swapped the sausage for Italian ground turkey then I used heavy cream in place of half and half and it is super yummy! Love how easy it is to tweak and customize! The whole family loves it!
Thank you! I am so glad your family enjoys this recipe! Ground turkey sounds delicious in this recipe!
I ate entirely too much of this! This was absolutely amazing as is, I made no adjustments at all! My husband raves and raves about this dinner and is his “new favorite” which is a huge deal for a man who loves all food! Thank you so much for sharing this!
You are very welcome! So happy to hear both you and your husband enjoyed this recipe!
I would love to see more of your recipes!
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I used my homemade marinara and it was delicious!
Happy to hear that! 🙂