I reach for One Pot Pasta Meals on busy nights, and this creamy sausage rigatoni hits that sweet spot. The sauce clings, the pasta bites back, and the kitchen stays calm. We eat, we smile, and the sink does not look like a science fair. I brown sausage, stir garlic, and let tomato and cream meet. Rigatoni slides in and soaks up flavor. That first forkful feels warm and savory with a little edge from red pepper. It tastes like a hug you did not know you needed. If you love rigatoni pasta recipes or hunt for pasta and sausage recipes, this one delivers. It scratches the sausage pasta recipe itch, and it plays nice with smoked sausage pasta recipes. I even riff with sausage and tortellini recipes when the fridge looks bare. Tortellini Recipes With Sausage live in my back pocket for nights when we want the same cozy vibe.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Creamy Sausage Rigatoni Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Creamy Sausage Rigatoni
- 4) How to Make Creamy Sausage Rigatoni
- 5) Tips for Making Creamy Sausage Rigatoni
- 6) Making Creamy Sausage Rigatoni Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Creamy Sausage Rigatoni
- 8) Try these Main Course next
- 9) Creamy Sausage Rigatoni
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
Elena here from Elena Cooks. I cook this creamy rigatoni when life feels loud and dinner needs calm. One Pot Pasta Meals lives on our menu and this version shows why. We brown sausage. We stir a simple sauce. We drop rigatoni and watch it drink the flavor. The pot stays tidy. The meal lands fast. The table gets quiet in that good way.
The method stays clear and quick. Onion softens. Garlic blooms. Tomato paste deepens. Cream rounds every edge. Pasta meets sauce and the starch gives body. You plate bowls that feel warm and steady. The bite brings spice and tang with a soft finish of cheese. It tastes like weeknight comfort with company level polish.
Use this guide if you love rigatoni pasta recipes or if you chase pasta and sausage recipes that do not sprawl. It scratches the classic sausage pasta recipe urge and still plays nice with smoked sausage pasta recipes if that is what you have. You can even borrow ideas from sausage and tortellini recipes and from Tortellini Recipes With Sausage when you want a change.
2) Easy Creamy Sausage Rigatoni Recipe
I lean on One Pot Pasta Meals when time feels tight and hunger walks in early. This rigatoni checks every box. The pot does most of the work and the steps stay close and clear which helps the flow. We use a short list and we keep the heat steady so each move leads straight to the next with no guesswork.
The sauce forms in minutes. Sausage browns and leaves little golden bits. Onion and garlic pick them up. Tomato paste turns richer. Cream slides in and turns the color to a soft red. You stir and watch it thicken as the steam curls up. That is the cue to add the pasta. The starch links sauce and noodle so the cling feels just right.
Readers ask for simple one pot pasta dinner ideas and this is the one I send first. It stands tall beside many rigatoni pasta recipes yet it sits gentle on the clock. It gives the feel of slow cooking without the wait. We use pantry items and we make a meal that tastes bigger than the sum of its parts.
3) Ingredients for Creamy Sausage Rigatoni
Italian sausage I use one pound with casings removed. Sweet or hot both work. The fat seasons the pan and builds deep flavor that carries through the dish.
Olive oil Two tablespoons help the sausage brown and keep the onion from catching. Use a mild oil so the sauce stays balanced and smooth.
Yellow onion One small onion chopped fine melts into the sauce. It brings gentle sweetness and keeps the savory notes from feeling flat.
Garlic Three cloves minced wake up the pot. The scent turns the kitchen friendly and sets the tone for a cozy plate.
Fennel seeds One teaspoon lightly crushed echoes the flavor in many sausage blends. It adds a soft anise lift that feels classic and right.
Red pepper flakes A quarter teaspoon brings a gentle kick. Add more if you like heat. Keep it light if you serve kids at the table.
Tomato paste Two tablespoons give body and a deeper shade. It toasts in the fat and tastes round and savory in the final sauce.
Chicken broth One cup loosens the fond and carries flavor into every bite. It keeps the sauce bright and prevents a heavy feel.
Heavy cream One cup gives the silky finish we want from One Pot Pasta Meals. It balances the acid from tomato and binds the sauce.
Parmesan One half cup grated melts smooth. It seasons the sauce and adds that nutty edge that signals comfort food done right.
Rigatoni Twelve ounces hold sauce inside each tube. The ridges grab the creamy base and deliver a full bite every time.
Parsley A small handful chopped gives fresh lift at the end. The green color makes the bowl look bright and inviting.
Salt and black pepper Season to taste. A little at each step keeps the flavors clear and layered without going heavy.
4) How to Make Creamy Sausage Rigatoni
Step one Warm oil in a deep skillet on medium heat. Add sausage and break it into small pieces. Cook until browned and no pink remains then spoon off extra fat if needed.
Step two Stir in onion and cook until soft. Add garlic and fennel seeds. Cook one minute. The scent will rise and the pan will feel alive.
Step three Add tomato paste and stir until it turns a deeper red. Pour in chicken broth and scrape the pan to lift the browned bits that hold flavor.
Step four Lower the heat. Stir in cream. Season with salt black pepper and red pepper flakes. Let the sauce simmer so it thickens a little and turns glossy.
Step five Boil rigatoni in salted water until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce then toss to coat.
Step six Splash in reserved water a little at a time until the sauce clings. Stir in Parmesan. Taste and adjust seasoning. Finish with parsley and serve.
5) Tips for Making Creamy Sausage Rigatoni
Salt the pasta water so the noodle carries flavor on its own. Keep the simmer gentle once cream goes in so the texture stays smooth. Pull the pasta a minute early so it finishes in the sauce which gives that nice cling that people love in One Pot Pasta Meals.
For a smoked note use part smoked sausage and part Italian and you will echo ideas you see in smoked sausage pasta recipes. Add a handful of spinach at the end for color. If you like more heat add a pinch more red pepper.
Swaps stay friendly too. Short shapes all work. If rigatoni runs out use penne or shells. For a twist borrow from sausage and tortellini recipes when you feel playful. The base sauce supports many shapes and still tastes balanced.
6) Making Creamy Sausage Rigatoni Ahead of Time
Cook the sauce and hold it. Boil the pasta later. This split plan fits busy days and still gives a fresh bowl at dinner. The sauce warms fast and does not break if you stir and keep the heat moderate.
Store the sauce in the fridge and bring it to a gentle bubble. Add a splash of broth to loosen. Boil fresh rigatoni and toss right in. This keeps the bite firm and the finish glossy which is the move for one pot pasta recipes that people crave.
If you want the full make ahead path cook the pasta one minute shy then toss with a little oil so it does not stick. Chill it flat on a tray. When ready fold it into the hot sauce and let the heat bring it back to life for a fast One Pot Pasta Meals win.
7) Storing Leftover Creamy Sausage Rigatoni
Place leftovers in an airtight container and chill for up to three days. Reheat in a skillet on low with a splash of water or broth. Stir until the sauce turns smooth again and the pasta warms through.
For the freezer cool the pasta and portion it. Wrap well and freeze for one month. Thaw in the fridge then reheat gently. The texture will stay close to fresh if you keep the heat steady and add a touch of cream at the end.
This dish also packs well for lunch. The sauce keeps the pasta moist which helps during a slow warm up at work. Sprinkle a little Parmesan on top and you will feel like you brought a small cafe to your desk.
8) Try these Main Course next
9) Creamy Sausage Rigatoni
One Pot Pasta Meals Creamy Sausage Rigatoni
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds lightly crushed
- 1 quarter teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 half cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Pasta
- 12 ounces rigatoni
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- Fresh parsley chopped for garnish
Instructions
For the Sauce
- Warm olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat.
- Add sausage and break into small pieces. Cook until browned and no pink remains. Spoon off extra fat if needed.
- Stir in onion and cook until soft. Add garlic and fennel seeds and cook one minute.
- Add tomato paste and cook until the paste darkens.
- Pour in chicken broth and scrape the pan. Bring to a lively simmer.
- Reduce heat. Stir in heavy cream. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Simmer on low so the sauce thickens a bit. Stir in Parmesan until smooth.
For the Pasta
- Boil rigatoni in salted water until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water and drain.
- Add pasta to the sauce. Toss until coated. Splash in reserved water a little at a time for a silkier sauce.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley and more Parmesan. Serve hot.
10) Nutrition
Serving size one sixth of the recipe. Calories five hundred twenty. Sugar five grams. Sodium seven hundred eighty milligrams. Fat twenty six grams. Saturated fat eleven grams. Carbohydrates forty nine grams. Fiber three grams. Protein twenty two grams. Cholesterol seventy milligrams.
Recipe by Elena for Elena Cooks found at www.elenacooks.com. This guide touches rigatoni pasta recipes pasta and sausage recipes and the classic sausage pasta recipe family. It also nods to Tortellini Recipes With Sausage and to other smoked sausage pasta recipes so you can branch out with ease. If you want more one pan pasta ideas this One Pot Pasta Meals base sits ready for many nights ahead.
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