Description
Imagine a pasta so rich, so flavorful, you question every other meal you’ve ever eaten. This dish turns a regular Tuesday into a mic-drop moment with creamy, savory, and ridiculously satisfying Italian sausage rigatoni.
Ingredients
1 lb rigatoni pasta
1 lb Italian sausage (hot or sweet), casings removed
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
1. Cook the pasta. Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook rigatoni al dente according to package directions. Reserve one cup of pasta water before draining.
2. Brown the sausage. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage and break it up with a spoon. Cook until nicely browned, about 6-8 minutes.
3. Sauté aromatics. Add diced onion to the skillet and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Build the sauce. Pour in crushed tomatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes to let flavors meld. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Cream it up. Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and parmesan until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
6. Combine and serve. Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Garnish with more parmesan and fresh basil.
Notes
Store the pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or milk. Avoid microwaving to prevent rubbery pasta.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 90mg