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Easy Sausage Rigatoni

October 17, 2019 14 Comments

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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!

close-up of rigatoni and sausage pasta

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!

Italian sausage rigatoni in two bowls

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.
extreme close-up of spicy sausage rigatoni
nom nom nom

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

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

Italian sausage and rigatoni pasta in two bowls

Questions about this Italian sausage rigatoni recipe?

Talk to me in the comments below!

close-up of rigatoni and sausage pasta
4.6 from 5 votes
Print

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. SautΓ© 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.

Filed Under: Mains, Pork, Quick & Easy, Recipes

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ashley says

    November 11, 2019 at 2:40 PM

    3 stars
    This recipe was overall good. I’m not too into tomatoes so I only used half a can of petite diced and drained all the juice from it I could. So then I used a cup of heavy cream with shredded/grated Parmesan to thicken. Used mild Italian and added red pepper flakes.

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      November 11, 2019 at 4:45 PM

      Thanks!

      Reply
  2. Sally Miceli says

    November 2, 2019 at 12:20 PM

    Have you tried it with a good jar marinara sauce like Rao’s ?

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      November 2, 2019 at 1:08 PM

      I have not, but that sounds like a tasty shortcut! Let me know if you try.

      Reply
  3. Lachlan says

    October 26, 2019 at 2:57 AM

    5 stars
    Seriously brilliant

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      October 26, 2019 at 10:55 AM

      Wonderful! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  4. Janel says

    October 23, 2019 at 3:48 PM

    5 stars
    Wow! This is sooo delicious! Super easy and packed with so much flavor with just a few ingredients! Will repeat this for sure.

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      October 23, 2019 at 4:19 PM

      Excellent! So happy to hear it, Janel. Thanks for letting me know! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  5. Jacqui says

    October 21, 2019 at 3:39 PM

    5 stars
    This is so easy and so DELISH! I added a few red pepper flakes for some heat! YUM!

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      October 21, 2019 at 5:16 PM

      So happy you liked it!! Thanks so much for leaving me a comment! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  6. R.A. MCCLAIN says

    October 20, 2019 at 3:33 PM

    5 stars
    How about a transcription using the Instant Pot?

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      October 21, 2019 at 9:25 AM

      Hi! Hmm… pasta recipes in the IP can be tricky. I would have to do some testing. This is a pretty straightforward stove-top recipe, so I am not really sure what the benefit of cooking it in the IP would be?

      Reply
  7. Brette says

    October 20, 2019 at 9:33 AM

    I make this but your recipe sounds better. I will definitely try it. The sausage I get from a real Italian market is leaner and tastier than the packaged grocery-store variety and comes in mild or hot.

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      October 20, 2019 at 1:57 PM

      Mmmm I bet it is delicious!! I love my local Italian shop… I don’t get there nearly enough. Let me know if you make this recipe πŸ™‚

      Reply

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