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Separately boiled rigatoni is tossed with sausage, crushed tomatoes and a modest amount of cream. Onion and Parmesan distinguish this sauce from the one-pan spinach version.
Ingredients and measurements
- 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 0.5 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 0.5 cup heavy whipping cream
- 0.5 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 0.25 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
Preparation and baking
- Stage 1
Boil rigatoni according to the package. Reserve half a cup pasta water before draining.
- Stage 2
Heat oil in a large skillet and soften the onion. Add sausage with casings removed and break it into small pieces. Cook pork or beef sausage to 160°F, or poultry sausage to 165°F.
- Stage 3
Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper flakes briefly. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer for about five minutes, stirring the bottom.
- Stage 4
Lower heat and stir in cream. Fold in cooked rigatoni and the measured Parmesan, tossing until evenly coated.
- Stage 5
Add a small amount of reserved pasta water only if the sauce needs loosening. Taste for salt and pepper and serve with optional extra Parmesan.
Reserve it immediately before draining the separately boiled rigatoni. It is an optional adjustment rather than a fixed sauce ingredient.
Where does pasta water come from?
Remove them so the meat breaks into small pieces that fit inside and around the pasta tubes.
Should sausage casings stay on?
A gentle simmer makes the sauce easier to control and reduces the chance of the dairy separating.
Why lower heat for cream?
No. This sauce uses twelve ounces of separately cooked pasta, crushed tomatoes, onion and Parmesan. The other version cooks eight ounces directly in a broth-and-cream sauce.
Is this the one-pan recipe?
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers within two hours, or within one hour above 90°F. Keep at 40°F or below and reheat leftovers to 165°F.
Storage and serving
For more recipes to serve alongside, see chicken buttered noodles or healthy cowboy caviar salad. Use that recipe’s own quantities rather than mixing formulas.
This is an editorial revision of the archived recipe, with clarified ingredient allocation and preparation checks. A Pinch Of Lemon has not kitchen-tested this version. The linked reference supports food-safety guidance only; it is not the source of the complete formula. Existing photographs are illustrative. Reference: FoodSafety.gov cooking temperatures.
Common Questions About This Recipe
- Where does pasta water come from?
Reserve it immediately before draining the separately boiled rigatoni. It is an optional adjustment rather than a fixed sauce ingredient.
- Should sausage casings stay on?
Remove them so the meat breaks into small pieces that fit inside and around the pasta tubes.
- Why lower heat for cream?
A gentle simmer makes the sauce easier to control and reduces the chance of the dairy separating.
- Is this the one-pan recipe?
No. This sauce uses twelve ounces of separately cooked pasta, crushed tomatoes, onion and Parmesan. The other version cooks eight ounces directly in a broth-and-cream sauce.