Description
A comforting and flavorful one-pot Italian sausage pasta dish that combines savory sausage, tender rigatoni, marinara sauce, and creamy Parmesan for a quick and easy meal ready in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage (casings removed, if using links)
- 1 small sweet onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- â…› teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 12 ounces uncooked rigatoni pasta (about ¾ of a box)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 basil leaves, sliced
Instructions
- Brown Sausage and Onions: Warm the olive oil in a large nonstick pot over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the pot evenly. Add the Italian sausage and diced onion, breaking up the sausage into small crumbles using a wooden spoon. Cook for about 5 minutes until the sausage is fully cooked and the onions are tender. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant. Add the dried Italian seasoning, coarse salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, stirring well to combine. Drain off excess grease from the pot.
- Add Tomato Paste: Stir the tomato paste into the cooked sausage and onion mixture until it is thoroughly combined and evenly distributed.
- Add Liquids and Pasta: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth, marinara sauce, and uncooked rigatoni pasta. Stir everything to combine well and bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, give it a good stir, cover the pot with a lid, and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Let cook for 14 minutes, stirring a couple of times towards the end to prevent the pasta from sticking. The pasta should absorb most of the liquid and cook to al dente.
- Add Cream and Cheese: Pour in the heavy cream and warm the mixture through for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and sliced basil leaves, stirring everything to combine smoothly.
- Serve: Remove the pot from the heat. Portion the pasta into bowls and serve immediately, optionally offering additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese at the table for extra flavor.
Notes
- Be sure to stir the pasta occasionally during simmering to prevent sticking.
- You can substitute Italian sausage with ground turkey or chicken for a leaner option.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes according to heat preference or omit for a milder dish.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Fresh basil adds a bright flavor; feel free to substitute with spinach or parsley if preferred.
