Description
This One-Pot Creamy Sausage Rigatoni is a comforting and flavorful pasta dish made with spicy Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, and a rich creamy sauce. Perfect for a hearty weeknight dinner, it combines savory sautéed onions and garlic with a touch of chili for warmth, balanced by the smoothness of cream and Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or whole
- 2 teaspoons chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons Calabrian chili (optional)
- 1 cup white wine
- 4 cups heavy cream (or substitute 2 cups cream and 2 cups milk)
- 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 pound rigatoni, cooked according to package directions
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Sauté Onions: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and cook diced onions for 4 minutes until they become slightly softened and translucent.
- Add Aromatics: Stir in garlic, chili flakes, and Italian seasoning, cooking for an additional 30 seconds to release their flavors without burning.
- Cook Sausage: Add ground Italian sausage to the pot and use a spoon or spatula to break it up. Cook for about 7 to 8 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Add Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Chili: Mix in chopped sun-dried tomatoes and optional Calabrian chili, stirring well to combine the flavors.
- Deglaze with Wine: Pour in white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to lift any browned bits, incorporating all ingredients.
- Add Cream and Tomatoes: Stir in heavy cream and crushed tomatoes, then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 5 to 8 minutes to thicken the sauce.
- Combine Pasta and Cheese: Add the cooked rigatoni pasta and grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce. Stir until everything is well combined and heated through.
- Season and Serve: Season the dish with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy your creamy sausage rigatoni!
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute half of the heavy cream with whole milk as suggested.
- You can omit Calabrian chili if you prefer less heat or replace it with extra chili flakes.
- Cooking the rigatoni ahead saves time but ensure to undercook slightly as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Grated Parmesan adds a nice salty tang; consider substituting with Pecorino Romano for a sharper flavor.
- This dish reheats well, making it great for meal prep and leftovers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
