Creamy Sausage Rigatoni Recipe

I’m sharing my Sausage Rigatoni and the one unexpected ingredient in my Rigatoni with Sausage that takes this simple dish in a whole new direction.

I’ve been stirring up this creamy Sausage Rigatoni for years, and every time the rigatoni and Italian sausage meet, something wild happens. The ridged tubes cradle little pockets of flavor so each forkful surprises you, and there’s a brash savory hit that makes you forget it’s just a weeknight dinner.

I like that it feels fancy but not precious, like it knows it’s delicious and won’t try too hard to prove it. Folks always wanna pin a category on it, so yeah, this is my go-to Rigatoni With Sausage, though I’m always tweaking tiny things.

Ingredients

• Tube pasta thats sturdy, gives carbs and some fiber, soaks up the sauce
• Rich in protein and fat adds spice, can be sweet or spicy salty
• Bright acidity and natural sweetness provides vitamin C and body to sauce
• Heavy cream makes the sauce silky and rich, higher in calories adds mouthfeel
• Parmesan gives a savory salty umami punch adds protein and calcium
• Garlic and onion are aromatic base bring sweetness and depth little health perks
• Olive oil for sauteing gives healthy fats and a subtle fruity note
• Fresh basil or parsley add bright peppery notes and color, toss on top

Ingredient Quantities

• 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
• 1 pound sweet or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 1 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth or reserved pasta water
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons butter, optional
• 1/4 cup dry white wine, optional
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Fresh basil or parsley leaves, chopped for garnish

How to Make this

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 12 oz rigatoni until just al dente according to package, reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain (do not rinse).

2. While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 lb Italian sausage (casings removed) and break it up with a spoon, cook until nicely browned, about 6-8 minutes; drain excess fat if there’s a lot.

3. Push the sausage to one side, add the finely chopped small yellow onion to the skillet and cook until soft, about 4 minutes, then stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes if using, cook 30-60 seconds until fragrant.

4. If using 1/4 cup dry white wine add it now to deglaze the pan, scrape up browned bits and let it reduce for 1-2 minutes.

5. Stir in one 14 oz can crushed tomatoes and 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth (or use some of that reserved pasta water here), bring to a gentle simmer and let it reduce 6-8 minutes so it thickens slightly.

6. Lower the heat and stir in 1 cup heavy cream and 2 tablespoons butter if using, simmer gently until the sauce is silky, then remove from heat and stir in 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan until melted; taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

7. Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce and toss to coat, add a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta, cook together 1-2 minutes so the pasta soaks up flavor.

8. Serve topped with extra Parmesan and chopped fresh basil or parsley, another pinch of red pepper flakes if you like heat, and enjoy (leftovers reheat great, add a splash of cream or pasta water to loosen).

Equipment Needed

1. Large pot for boiling rigatoni
2. Colander to drain the pasta
3. Large skillet or sauté pan
4. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to break up the sausage and stir
5. Tongs or a pasta server to toss and serve
6. Cutting board
7. Chef’s knife
8. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
9. Box grater or microplane for fresh Parmesan
10. Can opener plus a small ladle or measuring cup to reserve pasta water, dont forget to save about 1/2 cup

FAQ

Creamy Sausage Rigatoni Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Italian sausage:
  • ground pork or beef, seasoned with 1 tsp fennel seed and a pinch of sugar to mimic the sweet Italian flavor
  • spicy chorizo, for a smokier, bolder taste (cut back on extra salt)
  • plant based sausage crumbles, for a vegetarian swap that keeps texture
• Heavy cream:
  • half and half plus 2 tbsp butter, for a richer mouthfeel but lighter than cream
  • canned full fat coconut milk, for dairy free and still very creamy
  • Greek yogurt thinned with a little milk or reserved pasta water, stir in off the heat so it doesn’t split
• Parmesan cheese:
  • Pecorino Romano, saltier and sharper so use a bit less
  • Asiago or Grana Padano, both melt well and give a similar nutty flavor
  • nutritional yeast, if you need a vegan option (adds umami, not the same melt)
• Rigatoni:
  • penne or ziti, same tubular shape so sauce clings well
  • rigatoni tubes of a different brand or shape like shells or fusilli, both catch the sauce nicely
  • pappardelle or fettuccine, if you want a broader pasta that gives a different texture

Pro Tips

– Brown that sausage good and let it get some color, don’t just stir it till it’s gray. If the pan gets way too greasy, pour off most of the fat but leave a tablespoon for flavor, it helps the sauce carry fat soluble flavors.

– Always save at least 1/2 cup of pasta water and use it to loosen the sauce and make it cling to the rigatoni, the starch is magic. If you forgot, a splash of warm chicken broth works in a pinch, but the pasta water is better.

– Turn the heat down before you add the cream and cheese, hot sauce plus cold dairy can split. And grate the Parmesan fresh, pregrated cheese doesn’t melt as smoothly and can make the sauce grainy.

– Taste as you go, add salt last because the sausage and cheese add salt, and finish the pasta in the sauce for a minute so it soaks up flavor. Add chopped basil or parsley right at the end so it stays bright.