Creamy Sausage Rigatoni with Onion and Parmesan (Print-Friendly Version)
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.
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House placeholder — AdSense units launch here# Ingredients You’ll Need:
01 - 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
02 - 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 0.5 medium yellow onion, chopped
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
07 - 0.5 cup heavy whipping cream
08 - 0.5 teaspoon Italian seasoning
09 - 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
10 - Kosher salt, to taste
11 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - 0.25 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
# How to Make It:
01 - Boil rigatoni according to the package. Reserve half a cup pasta water before draining.
02 - 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.
03 - Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper flakes briefly. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer for about five minutes, stirring the bottom.
04 - Lower heat and stir in cream. Fold in cooked rigatoni and the measured Parmesan, tossing until evenly coated.
05 - 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.
# Extra Suggestions:
01 - Reserve it immediately before draining the separately boiled rigatoni. It is an optional adjustment rather than a fixed sauce ingredient.
02 - Remove them so the meat breaks into small pieces that fit inside and around the pasta tubes.
03 - A gentle simmer makes the sauce easier to control and reduces the chance of the dairy separating.
04 - 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.