Description
Hearty Italian Sausage Rigatoni delivers pure comfort with robust flavors dancing through perfectly al dente pasta. Bold marinara and rich cream merge into a luxurious sauce that wraps each rigatoni noodle in pure Mediterranean magic, beckoning you to savor every delicious forkful.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 15 ounces (425 grams) Italian sausage, crumbled
- 8 ounces (226 grams) rigatoni, uncooked
- 15 ounces (425 grams) tomato sauce
- 5 ounces (142 grams) fresh spinach
Liquid and Creamy Components:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) chicken broth
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- In a spacious skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat and sizzle sausage for approximately 5 minutes, ensuring complete cooking while periodically breaking into crumbly pieces.
- Pour rigatoni, chicken broth, heavy cream, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and marinara sauce into the skillet, bringing the mixture to a robust boil before reducing heat, covering, and simmering for 12-14 minutes until pasta reaches perfect al dente texture.
- Gently fold fresh spinach leaves into the bubbling pasta, allowing them to delicately wilt and integrate seamlessly with the creamy sauce, stirring occasionally to distribute evenly.
- Enhance flavor profile by sprinkling kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes, adjusting seasoning to personal preference and extending cooking time if a more concentrated sauce consistency is desired.
Notes
- Drain sausage thoroughly to prevent greasy texture and ensure a cleaner, more concentrated meat flavor.
- Use fresh Italian sausage for best taste, removing casings before cooking for better integration with sauce.
- Choose whole wheat rigatoni for added fiber and nutrition without compromising creamy texture.
- For dairy-free version, substitute heavy cream with coconut milk or cashew cream, maintaining rich consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 565
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg