Description

A rich and comforting pasta dish featuring hearty rigatoni tossed in a creamy Parmesan sauce with Italian sausage, garlic, and a touch of heat. Perfect for a satisfying dinner and easy to customize with your favorite add-ins.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound rigatoni pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup chicken broth (or reserved pasta water)
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
Optional Add-ins: mushrooms, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes

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Instructions

Cook the pasta: Boil rigatoni in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
Brown the sausage: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking it into crumbles. Drain any excess grease.
Sauté aromatics: Add diced onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
Make the sauce: Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in grated Parmesan until melted and smooth.
Combine: Add cooked rigatoni to the skillet. Toss well to coat in the sauce. Use reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
Serve: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley. Serve hot.

Notes

This dish is very flexible: add spinach, sautéed mushrooms, or chopped sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor and texture. Leftovers reheat well the next day with a splash of cream or broth.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian-American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 portion
Calories: 620
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 780mg
Fat: 36g
Saturated Fat: 17g
Unsaturated Fat: 15g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 48g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 25g
Cholesterol: 110mg