Description
Homemade creamy sausage rigatoni elevates classic Italian comfort cuisine with rich, hearty flavors. Sharp pecorino and spicy Italian sausage create a luxurious pasta experience you’ll want to savor again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 15 oz (425 g) Italian sausage, crumbled
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 8 oz (227 g) rigatoni, uncooked
- 15 oz (425 g) tomato sauce
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken broth
- 5 oz (142 g) fresh spinach
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt to taste
- Coarsely ground black pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- Sautéing Foundation: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium flame, creating an ideal cooking environment for sausage.
- Meat Preparation: Crumble sausage into the pan, browning thoroughly for approximately 5 minutes until completely cooked, eliminating any pink sections.
- Flavor Integration: Add rigatoni, chicken broth, heavy cream, garlic, Italian seasoning, and tomato sauce to the sausage-filled skillet, stirring to combine all components evenly.
- Liquid Activation: Bring the mixture to a robust boil, then reduce heat, covering with a lid to allow pasta to simmer and absorb liquid thoroughly.
- Pasta Perfection: Cook for 10-15 minutes, occasionally stirring to prevent sticking and ensure uniform texture, checking for al dente consistency with a slight bite.
- Green Enhancement: Fold fresh spinach into the creamy mixture, allowing leaves to wilt gently while maintaining low heat.
- Final Seasoning: Remove from heat, generously season with salt and black pepper, optionally sprinkling red pepper flakes for an additional flavor dimension.
Notes
- Prevent Pasta Sticking: Stir frequently during simmering to avoid rigatoni clumping or burning at the skillet bottom.
- Manage Fat Content: Drain excess sausage grease thoroughly to reduce recipe’s overall oiliness and ensure cleaner flavor profile.
- Check Pasta Doneness: Test rigatoni texture at 10-minute mark; pasta should have slight firmness without being hard or mushy.
- Customize Heat Level: Adjust spiciness by controlling red pepper flake quantity, allowing personalized flavor intensity for different palate preferences.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 646
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg