Rigatoni with Sausage
Perfectly al dente Sausage Rigatoni Pasta is loaded with spicy or sweet Italian sausage, lots of basil, and parmesan cheese, in a homemade creamy tomato sauce, this simple pasta dish is one you'll be making on repeat! It's an easy weeknight dinner idea that can be on the table in under 30 minutes.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 717kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ large yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ pounds spicy or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped + more for garnish
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (up to 1 teaspoon if you like it spicy)
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano, divided
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta.
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and saute for 5 minutes until it starts to soften. Add garlic and sausage. Cook for another 6-8 minutes until the sausage is browned, breaking up the sausage into crumbles while it cooks.
- Add crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-20 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce.
- Stir in heavy cream and 1 cup of the cheese. Simmer until heated through and the cheese has melted.
- Add cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Add as much of the reserved pasta water as you like to get a nice glossy texture. I typically use about ½ cup.
- Serve with remaining Parmesan cheese and fresh basil sprinkled on top.
Notes
- Crushed tomatoes substitute: If you are out of crushed tomatoes, you could use a can of whole tomatoes that you blend in the blender. Or use two 6-ounce cans of tomato paste combined with 2 cups chicken broth.
- Storage: Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen up the pasta and sauce.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 2 months. Let them cool completely first, then transfer to an airtight container and freeze. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in a 350 degree F oven covered with foil for 20-25 minutes until hot all the way through.
Nutrition
Calories: 717kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 1373mg | Potassium: 416mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 284mg | Iron: 2mg