Creamy Sausage Rigatoni Pasta Recipe

This sausage rigatoni pasta recipe comes together in about 20 minutes with a handful of simple ingredients. It’s a hearty comfort food, perfect for an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will enjoy!

 

Easy Recipe for Rigatoni Pasta

• It’s perfect for a busy weeknight! 20 minutes is all it takes to throw together this sausage rigatoni pasta. It requires very little prep work – just mince some garlic and chop some basil! The rest of the ingredients are simple and you might even have them on hand already – Italian seasoning, Italian sausage, heavy cream, crushed tomatoes, and pasta. It’s the perfect comforting family dinner!
• The flavors are simple but delicious! Sure you can use a jar of storebought pasta sauce but it tastes so much better to make this simple one from scratch! Savory, herb-filled sausage combines with the rich velvety texture of crushed tomatoes and heavy cream. Add fresh garlic, dried herbs, and fresh basil, and your family will be asking for seconds every time you make this!

Ingredients for Rigatoni Pasta

• Rigatoni: Rigatoni pasta is one of my favorites because of its unique shape. The ridges in the pasta perfectly hold every bit of creamy sauce so you get some in every bite!
• Herbs & Garlic: Italian seasoning and minced garlic are my two favorite ways to add a ton of flavor in no time at all. Feel free to use your favorite mixture of dried herbs.
• Italian Sausage: I love Italian pork sausage for this recipe because of its higher fat content – which means more flavor! You can also use Italian turkey sausage or spicy sausage as well.
• Crushed Tomatoes: Canned crushed tomatoes are the perfect base for a delicious creamy tomato sauce. Adding Italian sausage, dried herbs, fresh garlic, heavy cream, and fresh basil is the perfect way to dress it up!
• Heavy Cream: Heavy cream adds a rich, luxurious texture to the tomato sauce. You can use half and half if you prefer but the texture will be thinner.
• Fresh Basil: Freshly chopped basil adds a fresh, bright flavor to the sauce. You could substitute with freshly chopped parsley as well.

How to Make Italian Sausage Pasta Recipe

Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve a 1/2 cup of pasta water to dress the pasta.

Cook garlic and Italian seasoning, then add Italian sausage to the pan. Cook, crumbling it with a spatula until browned and cooked through.

Add crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, basil, and a few large pinches of salt and pepper.

Mix until well combined and cook for a few minutes until warmed through.

Add rigatoni and a splash of pasta water.

Toss to coat the pasta in the sauce.

Garnish with basil and Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Tips for Making Sausage Pasta

• Don’t overcook the pasta! Check the package directions and cook the pasta just until al dente. This ensures that when it’s tossed with the warm sauce it holds up well and doesn’t become mushy.
• Save your pasta water! The best way to get pasta sauce to adhere to the pasta is to add a splash of pasta water. Don’t worry about it thinning out the sauce though! If you add just a splash at a time, the starch is actually going to help thicken the sauce and make it cling to the pasta. This results in an evenly distributed sauce so you get a bit in each bite!

Serve Rigatoni With

• simple house salad
• easy garlic bread
• Caprese garlic bread
• cheesy olive bread
• air fryer green beans
• air fryer asparagus
• 10-minute Bruschetta with mozzarella
• tomato and burrata salad

Perfect Make-Ahead Meal

This rigatoni pasta is the perfect make-ahead meal. It reheats beautifully and will stay fresh in the fridge for days. It’s a lovely Sunday night dinner with plenty of leftovers to enjoy all week!

Storing Leftover Rigatoni Pasta

Store leftover rigatoni in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Reheating Sausage Pasta

Rehat rigatoni pasta in a large saute pan over medium heat. The sauce will thicken as it sits, so add a splash of heavy cream to loosen it up. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving!

Try these pasta recipes next!

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