Description
A comforting creamy pasta dish combining al dente rigatoni with savory Italian sausage and rich, velvety sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Heat a large pot of salted water over high heat. Once boiling, add rigatoni and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Brown the Sausage: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks for 6-8 minutes until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Sauté the Aromatics: In the same skillet, add diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Make the Creamy Sauce: Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring to mix. Let simmer for 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Combine All Ingredients: Return sausage to skillet, stirring into the sauce. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add Cheese and Pasta: Stir in Parmesan until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss in rigatoni, adding reserved pasta water as needed.
- Finish and Serve: Top with basil and red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan.
Notes
For a lighter dish, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream and reduce cheese. Use fresh ingredients for best flavor.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 80mg