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Creamy Sausage Rigatoni

Creamy sausage rigatoni tossed in a rich, creamy tomato sauce with crumbled Italian sausage and Parmesan. This one-pan rigatoni method uses reserved pasta water to loosen into a silky, cling-to-the-pasta sauce.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 760
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rigatoni
  • 1 lb rigatoni
Italian sausage and aromatics
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Sauce
  • 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 Fresh basil, torn, for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the rigatoni
  1. Cook rigatoni in salted boiling water until al dente, stirring occasionally so the pasta cooks evenly. When done, reserve 1 cup pasta water and then drain the rigatoni.
Brown the sausage
  1. Brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles, until cooked through. If there is excess grease, remove it so the sauce stays rich but not oily.
Sauté the aromatics
  1. Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
Simmer the creamy tomato sauce
  1. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy.
Combine and loosen the sauce
  1. Toss the drained rigatoni into the skillet to coat in the creamy sauce. Add splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce so it clings to the pasta.
Season and finish
  1. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, stirring to combine. Serve immediately topped with extra Parmesan and torn basil.

Notes

For the silkiest sauce, toss the pasta in right after the sauce simmers and add pasta water one splash at a time until it looks glossy rather than thick. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water or cream to loosen. Freezing is not recommended because the cream can separate. For a lighter swap, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce may be slightly thinner).