Creamy Sausage Rigatoni (Printable Version)
Tender rigatoni with flavorful sausage, creamy sauce, fresh spinach, and Italian herbs cooked to perfection.
# What You'll Need:
→ Oils and Fats
01 -
1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Meat
02 -
15 ounces Italian sausage, crumbled
→ Pasta
03 -
8 ounces rigatoni, uncooked
→ Liquids
04 -
1 cup chicken broth
05 -
1 cup heavy cream
06 -
15 ounces tomato sauce (e.g. marinara)
→ Herbs and Spices
07 -
4 cloves garlic, minced
08 -
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence
09 -
Salt, to taste
10 -
Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
11 -
Red pepper flakes, to taste
→ Vegetables
12 -
5 ounces fresh spinach
# Step-by-Step Guide:
01 -
Warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet with high sides.
02 -
Add crumbled Italian sausage and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, breaking it apart, until fully browned. Drain excess grease.
03 -
Into the same skillet, add uncooked rigatoni, chicken broth, heavy cream, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and tomato sauce.
04 -
Stir ingredients well and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover with a lid and allow to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, allowing pasta to cook until al dente.
05 -
Stir frequently during cooking to avoid pasta or sausage sticking to the pan bottom.
06 -
Add fresh spinach and cook on medium heat, stirring often for 2 minutes until spinach wilts, or alternatively remove from heat, cover, and let spinach wilt in residual heat for about 4 minutes, then stir.
07 -
If desired, continue cooking longer to thicken the sauce to preferred consistency.
08 -
Mix all ingredients thoroughly, remove from heat, and season with salt, freshly ground coarse black pepper, and red pepper flakes according to taste.
# Additional Notes:
01 -
Use discretion when adding salt as the sausage may already contain sufficient seasoning.