Irresistible Creamy Sausage Rigatoni Recipe for Pasta Lovers

Creamy sausage rigatoni combines hearty flavors that dance across your palate with remarkable complexity.

Rich textures and bold ingredients revolutionize an ordinary pasta dish into something extraordinary.

Italian-inspired comfort food never tasted so indulgent and satisfying.

Substantial proteins intertwine with smooth, velvety sauce, creating a harmonious culinary experience.

Home cooks adore this straightforward yet impressive meal that feels simultaneously rustic and refined.

Dinner guests will be captivated by the robust aromas and luxurious mouthfeel of this classic recipe.

Hungry souls crave these irresistible pasta combinations that elevate weeknight dining into a celebration.

Creamy Sausage Rigatoni That Comforts Every Bite

• Savor Speedy Comfort: This one-skillet wonder delivers delicious, creamy pasta in just 25 minutes, perfect for busy weeknight dinners when you crave something satisfying but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen.
• Celebrate Bold Flavor Fusion: Combining spicy Italian sausage, aromatic garlic, and fresh spinach creates a robust taste profile that tingles your taste buds with every forkful, offering restaurant-quality results at home.
• Master Effortless Cooking Technique: The ingenious method of cooking pasta directly in the sauce eliminates extra pot washing, reduces cooking steps, and ensures each rigatoni noodle absorbs maximum flavor while becoming perfectly tender and creamy.
• Customize Your Comfort Meal: Easily adaptable for different preferences by adjusting spice levels with red pepper flakes, swapping protein types, or adding extra vegetables, making it a flexible recipe that suits various dietary needs and taste preferences.

Sausage Rigatoni Ingredients You’ll Need

• Rigatoni: Hearty pasta shape that holds sauce well, choose high-quality durum wheat pasta for best texture.
• Chicken Broth: Adds depth of flavor and helps create sauce consistency, low-sodium preferred for better control of salt levels.

• Italian Sausage: Rich, spicy meat that provides robust flavor, choose fresh ground sausage with good fat content.
• Garlic: Aromatic base that enhances overall dish flavor, fresh cloves recommended for most intense taste.

• Heavy Cream: Creates smooth, luxurious sauce texture, full-fat version ensures richness.
• Tomato Sauce: Provides tangy base and deep color, choose smooth marinara or pasta sauce.
• Spinach: Fresh green element that adds nutrition and color, baby spinach works best for quick wilting.
• Olive Oil: Helps sauté ingredients and adds subtle flavor, extra virgin recommended.
• Italian Seasoning or Herbs de Provence: Blend of dried herbs that bring Mediterranean flavor, can substitute with individual herbs.
• Salt, Black Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes: Essential seasonings for balancing and enhancing overall taste, adjust to personal preference.

Make Creamy Sausage Rigatoni in No Time

Step 1: Brown the Sausage

Heat olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium-high temperature.

Crumble sausage into the pan and cook until golden brown and completely done.

Drain excess fat using a slotted spoon or paper towel.

Step 2: Create Sauce Base

Add chicken broth, heavy cream, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and tomato sauce directly into the skillet.

Stir ingredients thoroughly to combine flavors.

Step 3: Cook Pasta

Place uncooked rigatoni into the liquid mixture.

Cover and simmer on medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Cook for 10-15 minutes until pasta reaches perfect al dente texture.

Step 4: Add Leafy Greens

Gently fold fresh spinach into the pasta.

Cook for additional 2-4 minutes until spinach wilts beautifully.

Step 5: Final Seasoning

Remove skillet from heat.

Sprinkle salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to personal taste preference.

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy

Transfer pasta to serving bowls.

Garnish with extra herbs if desired.

Savor your delicious one-pan meal immediately.

Simple Tricks for the Best Sausage Rigatoni Sauce

• Sausage Selection Matters: Choose high-quality Italian sausage with robust flavor for the best taste profile in your dish.
• Prevent Pasta Sticking: Stir the rigatoni frequently during cooking to ensure even sauce distribution and avoid clumping.
• Cream Consistency Control: Use room temperature heavy cream to help it blend smoothly without curdling in the skillet.
• Spinach Timing Technique: Add spinach at the very end of cooking to maintain its vibrant green color and fresh nutrient content.
• Seasoning Secret: Taste and adjust salt and pepper incrementally, as the sausage already provides significant flavor depth.

How to Keep Sausage Rigatoni Tasting Fresh

• Refrigerator Storage: Transfer cooled pasta to an airtight container and seal tightly. Consume within 3-4 days for optimal flavor and texture.
• Reheating on Stovetop: Warm gently in a skillet over medium-low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth or cream to restore moisture. Stir frequently to prevent burning and ensure even heating.
• Microwave Option: Place portion in microwave-safe dish, cover with damp paper towel, and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval until steaming hot. Add small amount of liquid if pasta seems dry.

Delicious Sides for Sausage Rigatoni Night

• Pair with Bold Red Wine: Complement the rich, meaty sausage and creamy sauce with a robust Italian red like Chianti or Sangiovese, cutting through the dish's heaviness while enhancing its savory flavors.
• Fresh Crisp Salad Companion: Balance the creamy pasta with a light arugula salad dressed in lemon vinaigrette, adding a zesty brightness that contrasts the hearty main course.
• Garlic Herb Focaccia Sidekick: Serve warm, crusty focaccia bread alongside the rigatoni to soak up the delicious sauce and provide a crunchy textural counterpoint to the soft pasta.
• Chilled Pinot Grigio Option: For white wine lovers, a crisp Pinot Grigio offers a refreshing alternative that cleanses the palate between rich bites of creamy sausage pasta.

Creative Variations on Creamy Sausage Rigatoni

• Spicy Chorizo Kick: Replace Italian sausage with spicy chorizo, adding extra red pepper flakes for a bold, fiery flavor profile that elevates the entire dish.
• Mediterranean Vegetable Fusion: Swap sausage for roasted zucchini and eggplant, incorporating sun-dried tomatoes and crumbled feta cheese to create a vibrant vegetarian version.
• Creamy Seafood Transformation: Substitute sausage with succulent shrimp or crab meat, using white wine instead of chicken broth for an elegant coastal-inspired pasta experience.
• Smoky Bacon Indulgence: Swap sausage with crispy bacon pieces, introducing smoked paprika and caramelized onions for a rich, deeply satisfying alternative that brings incredible depth to the recipe.

Creamy Sausage Rigatoni Recipe

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4.5 from 15 reviews

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Rigatoni with sausage creates a hearty Italian-inspired pasta experience that blends robust flavors and comforting textures. Savory Italian sausage mingles with rich cream sauce, delivering a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Meat and Protein:

• 15 ounces (425 grams) Italian sausage, crumbled

Pasta and Grains:

• 8 ounces (226 grams) rigatoni, uncooked

Vegetables and Seasonings:

• 5 ounces (142 grams) fresh spinach
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 15 ounces (425 grams) tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or herbs de provence

Liquids and Oils:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream

Spices and Extras:

• Salt, to taste
• Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
• Red pepper flakes, to taste

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Instructions

1. Create a flavorful base by warming olive oil in a spacious, robust skillet over medium temperature.
2. Crumble the Italian sausage into the heated oil, stirring periodically and cooking thoroughly until the meat browns and releases its aromatic essence.
3. Eliminate excess fat by carefully draining the sausage, preserving the rich, meaty fragments in the pan.
4. Consolidate rigatoni, chicken broth, heavy cream, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and tomato sauce directly into the skillet with the cooked sausage.
5. Elevate the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and cover, allowing the ingredients to meld and the pasta to tenderize for approximately 12 minutes.
6. Stir the contents intermittently to prevent potential adhesion and ensure uniform cooking.
7. When pasta reaches a perfect al dente consistency, introduce fresh spinach leaves, gently folding them into the creamy mixture.
8. Allow spinach to wilt gracefully, transforming the dish with its vibrant green color and delicate texture.
9. Carefully taste and calibrate the seasoning, incorporating salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and red pepper flakes to personal preference.
10. Transfer the luxurious, steaming pasta into serving bowls, presenting a comforting and robust meal ready to be savored.

Notes

• Grab a one-pan wonder that transforms simple ingredients into a restaurant-quality dinner in under 30 minutes.
• Perfectly balanced pasta dish combines spicy Italian sausage, tender rigatoni, and vibrant spinach for a comforting meal.
• Minimal cleanup required with this skillet technique that allows pasta to cook directly in a flavorful sauce, creating rich, complex taste layers.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Lunch
• Method: Sautéing
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 690
• Sugar: 6 g
• Sodium: 950 mg
• Fat: 45 g
• Saturated Fat: 18 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 27 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 52 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 25 g
• Cholesterol: 95 mg