Description
A quick, weeknight-friendly pasta dish featuring rich, creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and savory Italian sausage. Ready in 30 minutes with pantry staples.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) rigatoni pasta
- 1 pound (450g) Italian sausage (mild or hot), removed from casings
- 1 cup (150g) sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained (oil reserved)
- 1 ½ cups (360ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup (100g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional: 2 cups fresh spinach
- Optional: 2 oz (60g) cream cheese
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Chop onion, mince garlic, drain sun-dried tomatoes, and grate Parmesan cheese.
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente (8-10 minutes). Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Brown sausage: While pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 5-6 minutes until browned. Drain excess grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Remove sausage and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics: In the same skillet, add diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Build sauce: Add sun-dried tomatoes to the pan and stir for 1 minute. Pour in chicken broth and simmer for 2 minutes to deglaze. Add heavy cream and Italian seasoning; simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Combine cheese and sausage: Remove skillet from heat. Stir in browned sausage and gradually add Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. If too thick, add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time.
- Finish: Add drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If using, stir in fresh spinach until wilted.
- Serve: Serve immediately topped with extra Parmesan, black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Save the pasta water; the starch helps the sauce cling to the pasta. Use fresh Parmesan only, as pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy. Remove the pan from heat before adding cheese to prevent separation. For a vegetarian version, substitute sausage with mushrooms and use vegetable broth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 22
Keywords: sun-dried tomato pasta, sausage rigatoni, creamy pasta, weeknight dinner, easy Italian recipe, quick pasta