Creamy Rigatoni with Italian Sausage
This creamy rigatoni with Italian sausage tastes slow-simmered but is ready in 30 minutes. Browned sausage, silky cream sauce, and a secret pasta water trick make it a weeknight favorite.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Deep 12-inch Skillet or Dutch Oven
- Wooden spoon
- Microplane or box grater
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 1 lb rigatoni pasta
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Meanwhile, heat a deep skillet over medium-high. Crumble Italian sausage and cook until deeply browned, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add chopped onion and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Pour 1/4 cup reserved pasta water into the skillet and scrape up browned bits.
- Stir in heavy cream and simmer 2 minutes. Add drained rigatoni, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes. Toss, adding more pasta water if needed, until silky.
- Remove from heat, stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper. Serve with extra Parmesan.
Notes
Tips: Don't rinse pasta; save that starchy water. Brown the sausage well for deep flavor. Grate Parmesan fresh for a smooth sauce. Remove pan from heat before adding cheese to prevent graininess. Store leftovers in fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of milk. Freezing not recommended.