Description
A rich and comforting Creamy Italian Sausage Rigatoni featuring perfectly cooked rigatoni pasta tossed in a flavorful sauce made from browned Italian sausage, sautéed onions and garlic, crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, and chicken broth. Seasoned with Italian herbs and finished with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, this dish offers a deliciously creamy and hearty meal perfect for any pasta lover.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 400 g rigatoni pasta
Sauce
- 500 g Italian sausage, casing removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Rigatoni: Cook the rigatoni pasta according to package instructions in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Brown Sausage: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spatula as it cooks.
- Sauté Onion and Garlic: Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic is fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Simmer Sauce: Pour in the crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, and chicken broth. Stir in the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes, then season with salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Toss Pasta in Sauce: Add the cooked rigatoni to the sauce, stirring well to coat all the pasta with the creamy mixture.
- Add Parmesan: Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the pasta and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
- Serve: Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Notes
- For a spicier dish, increase the red pepper flakes to taste.
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter sauce.
- Use gluten-free rigatoni to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Fresh basil adds a bright flavor, but you can also use dried basil if fresh is not available.
- Ensure to remove the casing from the sausage before cooking for better texture.
