Easy Sausage Rigatoni

This easy sausage rigatoni recipe is made with everyday ingredients. Plenty of Italian sausage simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce makes the best easy dinner!

Rigatoni with sausage is always a good idea! Ahh I love simple pasta recipes like this one. I made this a spicy sausage rigatoni recipe, but you can definitely stick to mild Italian sausage if you prefer. 

This one’s great for busy weeknights. You can throw it together pretty fast, and most of the cooking is fairly hands-off. 

As the temperatures continue to drop, I continue to crave warm and comforting dinners like this one!

Recipe notes:

• The two types of canned tomatoes I suggest really determine how the sauce turns out. One needs to be much thicker than the other, so substitute with caution.
• I always get people asking if they can substitute the heavy cream with something lighter. I don’t recommend it in this recipe. The acidity of the tomatoes is likely to break the sauce if you don’t use heavy cream. You can leave the cream out if you absolutely have to, but I love how cream takes the acidic edge off tomatoes and imparts a richness without having to add too much.
• If your tomatoes are a bit sour, you can add it a little sugar (start with 1/2 teaspoon or so).
• If you want to add a little heat, sprinkle in some red pepper flakes or use hot Italian sausage. 
• Want to add a bit of wine to the sauce? No problem. I would simmer it a little longer, but the flavor would be amazing. 
• I know someone will ask this, so I might as well answer it here. Yes, you may sub the rigatoni with another kind of pasta.

This recipe is straight outta the quick and easy sausage pasta recipes section of the Salt & Lavender playbook… 😉

More pasta with sausage recipes you’ll love:

• Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta
• Tuscan Sausage Pasta
• Simple Sausage and Broccoli Pasta
• Cajun Sausage Pasta
• One Pan Tortellini with Sausage
• Healthy Chicken Sausage Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes
• One Pan Creamy Gnocchi with Sausage

Questions about this Italian sausage rigatoni recipe?

Talk to me in the comments below!

4.6 from 5 votes

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Easy Sausage Rigatoni

This easy sausage rigatoni recipe is made with everyday ingredients. Plenty of Italian sausage simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce makes the best easy dinner!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian American

Keyword Italian sausage rigatoni

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Author Salt & Lavender

Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked rigatoni
• 17.6 ounces Italian sausages (spicy or mild) crumbled
• 1/2 medium onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 (14 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
• 1 (14 fluid ounce) can finely chopped or crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Fresh basil, torn to taste (optional)
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste

Instructions

1. Boil a salted pot of water for the pasta. Cook the rigatoni al dente according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, chop the onion and take the sausages out of their casings and crumble it into a skillet. Sauté the onion and sausage over medium-high heat for 7 minutes, stirring it occasionally.

3. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

4. Drain a bit of the fat from the pan (I just spoon it out). Don't worry about getting it all.

5. Add the canned tomatoes to the pan. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes (you may need to turn the heat down a bit if it starts bubbling too furiously).

6. Stir in the cream, basil (if using), and season the sauce with salt & pepper as needed. Cook for another minute or two and then toss with the drained pasta.

Recipe Notes

• To get the consistency of the sauce just right, I suggest using the types of tomatoes I recommend (it will make a big difference). I'd also be cautious about subbing the cream for anything else (e.g. milk or half-and-half) because the acidity of the tomatoes is likely to curdle it.
• I used a 5-pack of Johnsonville's Italian sausages. Feel free to use any brand (or just buy sausage meat). Anything in the ballpark weight-wise will work just fine.