Sausage Rigatoni is a hearty, easy-to-make dish with common ingredients. It takes about 30 minutes to prepare and features pasta in a creamy sauce with soft spinach and Italian sausage.
We love a good sausage and pasta recipe — try these recipes next: Creamy Sausage Pasta or this creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup.
Sausage Rigatoni
Sausage Rigatoni is the ideal dish when you’re in the mood for something warm and filling. This pasta is delicious, feels fancy, and is just like something you’d get at a restaurant — we absolutely love it!
Plus, it’s a fantastic meal to serve to guests. It’s tasty and looks impressive, yet it’s easy to prepare, making it stress-free for the host. You can even get most of it ready beforehand. More on this soon!
Shortcuts
Sausage Rigatoni Shortcuts
This recipe is easy, but requires a bit of chopping upfront. Below I’ve got a few shortcut ideas to help save some time in the kitchen.
- Pick up pre-chopped veggies. Most stores sell pre-chopped veggies in the produce section. If you’re in a hurry, grab those fresh-chopped veggies, or you can even use frozen veggies—found near other frozen veggies in the store.
- Or, use a food processor to quickly chop those veggies!
- Use jarred garlic or a garlic press.
Sausage Rigatoni Ingredients
A few ingredients worth going into detail on:
- Low-sodium chicken broth: It’s important to use a low or reduced-sodium chicken broth so the final dish doesn’t end up too salty. There is a good deal of salt in the dish between the sausage, pasta/reserved pasta water, and Parmesan cheese so we want to limit it in the broth.
- Italian-style ground sausage: Choose either mild or spicy sausage based on your preference — both types work well. Sausage comes in various package sizes. We use 1 pound, but if you have a 19-ounce package, you can use the whole thing for a meatier sauce. If using Italian sausages with casings, remove the casings before cooking.
- Tomato paste: While you might think about using different types of canned tomatoes in Sausage Rigatoni, it’s best to use tomato paste. This is because tomato paste is very concentrated. It’s made by cooking tomatoes for hours to reduce their liquid, making it ideal for adding lots of tomato flavor without extra liquid to the sauce.
Variations
Variations
- Add Heat: For more spice, use spicy Italian sausage. For less spice, choose mild or sweet sausage. Serve red pepper flakes on the side for those who want extra heat.
- Swap Pasta: Rigatoni works best, but you can use ziti or penne instead.
- Add White Wine: Replace white wine vinegar with 1/2 cup of Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc for a restaurant-like flavor. Cook it off just like chicken broth.
- Use Heavy Cream: Avoid swapping heavy cream. Alternatives like half-and-half or milk might curdle due to the tomato paste’s acidity. Heavy cream balances this and makes the sauce rich and thick.
Sausage Rigatoni Tips
- Salt the pasta water:Make sure to salt the rigatoni water well as it cooks, as this adds flavor to the pasta, the pasta water, and the whole dish. Add the salt when the water boils, and wait for it to boil again before putting in the pasta.
- It’s easy to go on autopilot and dump in the whole package of rigatoni, but with the entire package, we didn’t feel there was enough sauce!
- The final step of mixing the sausage cream sauce, hot pasta, and pasta water well is a key Italian pasta trick. It’s called emulsifying, and it makes the sauce smooth and tasty, sticking nicely to the pasta.
- Increase the sauce to personal preference: Sometimes the pasta absorbs more sauce or you just want an extra saucy meal, so don’t be afraid to add in a few splashes of the reserved pasta water until the sauce is exactly how you like it!
Storage
Sausage Rigatoni Storage
Sausage Rigatoni is best enjoyed right after cooking. Leftovers can be kept but may need extra chicken stock when reheating. Avoid freezing, as the pasta can get mushy.
Make Ahead: You can prepare the sauce 3-5 days in advance. When ready to serve, heat the sauce and add more cream or chicken broth if needed. Cook the pasta fresh, mix it with the sauce, and enjoy!
Quick Tip
Do you struggle to remember to pull out pasta water before draining the pasta? Here’s a trick: Place a strainer in the sink with a mug or heat-safe measuring cup in the center. When you go to drain, you’ll be reminded to pull out some water first!
More favorite pasta dishes
- Creamy Chicken Pasta with mushrooms and creamy cheese
- Chicken Pasta kid-friendly
- Zucchini Pasta Sauce with sweet corn
- Chicken Pot Pie Pasta made in one pot!
- Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad with a creamy chili-lime dressing
Sausage Rigatoni
Ingredients
- 3-1/4 cups (9 oz.) uncooked rigatoni pasta (not entire package!)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup each: finely diced yellow onion, celery, carrots Note 1
- Fine sea salt and pepper
- 1 lb. (16 oz.) Italian sausage Note 2
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (~4 cloves)
- 1 teaspoon each: Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, onion powder Note 3
- 1-1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 5 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, optional -- Note 4
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream Note 5
- 4 cups coarsely chopped loosely packed baby spinach
- For serving: Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs (like thyme, parsley, or basil) and red pepper flakes
Instructions
- PREP: Start by dicing the onion, carrot, and celery (you can do this quickly in a food processor). Dice garlic, measure out seasonings, and set out the rest of the ingredients.
- RIGATONI: Bring a large pot of water to boil and generously salt the water. Set a large colander in the sink with a glass mug or liquid measuring cup in the center of the colander (this is so you don't forget to grab some pasta water before draining!) Once the salted water is boiling, add rigatoni (not the whole box, just 3-1/4 cups!) and cook according to package directions, draining pasta 1 minute before directed. Before draining, pull out a mugful of water and then drain. Do not rinse.
- VEGGIES: Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven; heat to medium-high. Add in carrot, onion, and celery. Season to taste. (I add 1/4 teaspoon salt & pepper here.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until becoming soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add in the sausage and cook, crumbling as you cook, until browned all the way through. Add in the garlic, seasonings (only add red pepper flakes (1/4 up to 1/2 tsp) if you like some heat!), and tomato paste. Season to taste with salt & pepper. (I add 1/4 teaspoon of each again here.) Cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant and tomato paste begins to darken, about 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat if anything is burning.
- SAUCE: Add in the vinegar and stir until evaporated. Add in the chicken broth -- it should sizzle and boil. Cook until mostly all is evaporated into the meat. Reduce the heat to low and add in the cream. Mix and allow sauce to come to a low simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, about 3 more minutes.
- FINISHING: Add coarsely chopped spinach and pasta. Use tongs to vigorously toss the sauce with the cooked pasta. If needed, slowly add the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce until the sauce clings nicely to the pasta. Taste and season if needed with additional salt. Serve on plates with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes if desired, and fresh herbs, if using.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this tonight and my husband and I both loved it! I didn’t have any celery, so I threw in some mushrooms instead and it worked out great! Thanks for the clear, detailed instructions and fabulous recipe!
Yum! I am so happy you enjoyed! Thanks Susan! ๐
This was insanely delicious – thank you so much for the recipe! I used half spicy sausage and half mild, and did add red pepper – the spiciness was important, we thought. My husband and I also thought it would have been delicious even with a bit less cream. But totally a winner!
The spice is the best if you’re a spice lover, right?! Thank you so much Andrea, thrilled to hear it was a hit!
Once again Chelsea !!!.,, you have created another spectacular dish !!! I made this with hot sausage and substituted 3/4 cup of half and half for the cream. You rock !!
Thank you so much Victoria! It makes my day to hear this!