Description
This Easy Sausage Rigatoni recipe combines perfectly cooked rigatoni pasta with a savory Italian sausage tomato cream sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a comforting, hearty dish perfect for weeknight dinners. The creamy tomato sauce enriched with fresh basil and parmesan cheese makes for an irresistible, flavorful meal the whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces uncooked rigatoni
Sauce
- 16 ounces Italian sausage (spicy or mild)
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- Fresh basil, torn (optional, to taste)
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional, to taste)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Boil a large pot of salted water. Add the rigatoni and cook it until al dente according to the package instructions, then drain and set aside.
- Sauté Sausage and Onion: While the pasta cooks, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage meat and chopped onion, cooking and stirring occasionally until browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Drain Excess Fat: Spoon out some of the excess fat from the pan, leaving enough for flavor but avoiding excess grease in the sauce.
- Add Tomatoes and Simmer: Pour in the diced tomatoes with juices and crushed tomatoes into the skillet. Lower the heat if necessary to maintain a gentle simmer and cook the sauce for 10 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Finish the Sauce: Stir in the heavy cream and torn fresh basil if using. Season the sauce with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes to combine flavors.
- Toss Pasta and Serve: Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce and toss gently to coat. Serve garnished with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- You can use either spicy or mild Italian sausage depending on your heat preference.
- Be sure not to overcook the rigatoni; al dente texture holds up best to the rich sauce.
- Fresh basil adds a bright flavor but is optional.
- For a lighter option, substitute half-and-half or whole milk for the heavy cream, though the sauce will be less rich.
