Description
Savory sausage combined with a luscious tomato cream sauce coats tender rigatoni pasta. Enhanced with garlic, Italian seasoning, and chili flakes, then finished with crispy onions and Parmesan for added texture and richness—a satisfying meal for any night.
Ingredients
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tbsp tomato paste
4 sausages, casings removed
Seasoning: 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp chili flakes, salt and pepper to taste
¾ cup light cream
⅔ cup reserved pasta water (or plain water)
¼ cup grated Parmesan
4.5 oz rigatoni (about 1½ cups dry)
Crispy fried onions, for topping
Reserved cooked sausage pieces, for topping
Instructions
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Cook pasta: Boil rigatoni in salted water until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ⅔ cup pasta water; drain and set pasta aside.
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Sauté aromatics: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook onion and garlic 3–4 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
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Cook sausage: Add sausage meat, breaking up with a spoon, cooking until browned and cooked through. Remove some sausage pieces for topping.
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Add sauce base: Stir in tomato paste and seasonings (Italian seasoning, garlic powder, chili flakes, salt, and pepper).
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Make sauce: Add half the reserved pasta water and half the cream; reduce heat and simmer 2–3 minutes with stirring.
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Finish sauce: Stir in remaining cream and additional pasta water as needed to loosen sauce. Mix in grated Parmesan until melted and creamy.
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Combine: Return rigatoni to sauce and toss to coat thoroughly.
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Serve: Plate pasta and garnish with reserved sausage and crispy fried onions. Serve immediately.
Notes
Remove sausage casings for even sauce blending.
Adjust chili flakes to your preferred heat.
Stir sauce frequently to prevent sticking or burning.
Use freshly grated Parmesan for best flavor.
Crispy fried onions add a delightful crunch.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Pasta
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 900
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 38
- Cholesterol: 110
Keywords: creamy tomato sausage pasta, rigatoni with sausage, spicy sausage pasta, one-pan sausage pasta, italian sausage dinner