Description
A quick, budget-friendly weeknight dinner featuring rigatoni pasta tossed in a rich, creamy sauce with savory Italian sausage. This one-pan meal is ready in under 30 minutes and offers restaurant-quality comfort food without the high cost.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) rigatoni pasta
- 1 pound (450g) Italian sausage (mild or hot), casings removed
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Water for boiling pasta
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Add rigatoni and cook according to package directions, but remove 1-2 minutes before fully al dente. Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining, then set pasta aside.
- While water boils, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and crumble in the Italian sausage. Cook for 8-10 minutes until browned and crispy, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain excess grease if necessary, leaving a little for flavor.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add minced garlic and Italian seasoning to the skillet with the sausage. Stir constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Bubble softly for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and smooth. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Add the drained rigatoni directly into the skillet with the sauce. Toss with tongs to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until pasta is cooked through and coated in glossy sauce.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately. Top with extra Parmesan if desired.
Notes
Do not rinse the cooked pasta; the starch helps the sauce cling. Keep heat low when adding cream to prevent separation. For a lighter option, swap half the cream for cream cheese or Greek yogurt. The dish reheats best on the stovetop with a splash of milk or water.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 850
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 900
- Fat: 45
- Saturated Fat: 22
- Carbohydrates: 75
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
Keywords: creamy rigatoni, italian sausage, budget meal, weeknight dinner, easy pasta, one pan meal, comfort food