Description
This Creamy Italian Sausage Rigatoni is rich, comforting, and bursting with flavor! Tender pasta is coated in a savory, creamy tomato sauce loaded with Italian sausage, garlic, herbs, and Parmesan. A cozy weeknight dinner that feels restaurant-worthy—yet comes together in 30 minutes! 🍝✨
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta
- 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook rigatoni according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and cook until browned, breaking it into crumbles.
- Add diced onion and cook until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer for 5–7 minutes.
- Stir in Parmesan until melted and the sauce turns creamy.
- Add cooked rigatoni and toss to coat. If needed, add a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and serve warm!
Notes
For extra richness, add 2 tbsp tomato paste when sautéing the sausage. Try swapping rigatoni for penne or shells. You can also add spinach or mushrooms for a delicious veggie boost!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 920mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
Keywords: rigatoni, creamy sausage pasta, Italian sausage rigatoni, easy pasta recipe, creamy tomato pasta