Description
Rich and creamy rigatoni pasta with Italian sausage in a tomato‑cream sauce
Ingredients
- 12 oz (≈ 340 g) rigatoni pasta
- 1 lb (≈ 450 g) Italian sausage (remove casing, crumbled)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup (≈ 120 ml) chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup (≈ 50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: a splash of reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until al dente according to package directions. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the crumbled sausage and chopped onion. Cook until sausage is browned and onion is softened.
- Add the minced garlic and tomato paste, stirring for about 1 minute to release aromas.
- Pour in the chicken broth and stir. Allow the mixture to simmer briefly to meld flavors.
- Stir in the heavy cream, reduce heat to low, and let the sauce simmer gently until slightly thickened.
- Add the drained rigatoni to the skillet. Toss to coat with sauce. If sauce is too thick, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water gradually until desired consistency.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute half‑and‑half or light cream for heavy cream for a lighter sauce (but it will be thinner).
- Using fresh Parmesan (rather than pre‑grated) gives better melt and flavor.
- If the sauce thickens too much when cooling, loosen with a bit more cream or pasta water when reheating.
- Add spinach, sun‑dried tomatoes, or red pepper flakes for extra flavor and variation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate (approx ¼ recipe)
- Calories: 569
- Fat: 24.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 67 g
- Fiber: 5.5 g
- Protein: 22.2 g
- Cholesterol: 52 mg
