Go Back
Easy Creamy Italian Sausage Rigatoni - Quick Family Dinner Recipe

Creamy Italian Sausage Rigatoni

Rich, creamy pasta dish with savory Italian sausage, herbs, and Parmesan cheese - perfect for weeknight dinners
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 portions
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1.5 lbs Italian sausage may use 1 lb if you want less sausage, remove from casings if using links
  • 2 cans whole or crushed tomatoes 28-ounce cans
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
  • 1/4 cup fresh oregano chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
  • 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1.5 cups heavy cream
  • 1.5 cups grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 lb rigatoni pasta

Equipment

  • Large pot or Dutch oven
  • Pasta pot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Colander
  • Blender (optional)

Method
 

  1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, then diced onion and cook for 7-8 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and Italian sausage, breaking up with wooden spoon, cooking for 7-8 minutes until sausage is golden brown and reaches 160°F internal temperature.
  2. While sausage cooks, bring a separate large pot of generously salted water to boil. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining. Add rigatoni and cook according to package directions (9-11 minutes) until al dente.
  3. Add canned tomatoes to sausage mixture. If using whole tomatoes, blend until smooth. Stir in basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5-7 minutes until slightly thickened.
  4. Add heavy cream and 1 cup Parmesan cheese to sauce. Stir well and simmer on medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes until sauce thickens to coat back of spoon. Taste and adjust seasonings.
  5. Drain rigatoni and add to sauce, stirring to coat pasta. Add reserved pasta water 1-2 tablespoons at a time if needed for consistency. For thicker sauce, simmer additional 5 minutes.
  6. Serve immediately, garnishing with remaining Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Notes

For best flavor, use high-quality sausage and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Don't skip salting the pasta water generously. Cook sausage to 160°F internal temperature for food safety.