Creamy Rigatoni with Italian Sausage
Imagine all the comfort of a creamy pasta dish, elevated by the bold, concentrated flavors of tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes. This One-Pot Creamy Rigatoni with Italian Sausage brings everything you love — rich sausage, hearty pasta, fresh spinach, and a velvety sauce—together in one easy dish. Adding tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes takes the flavor to the next level, giving the sauce a deep, tangy sweetness that perfectly balances the richness of the cream. And the best part? Everything cooks in one pot, so you get all the flavors without all the cleanup! Pair it with a simple salad or some garlic bread, and you’ve got a restaurant-quality dinner with minimal effort.
Check out these other great recipes while you are here!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Bold, Rich Flavors: Tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes give the sauce a deep, concentrated tomato flavor that adds complexity and richness to the dish.
- One-Pot Dish: Fewer dishes and easy cleanup—what’s not to love? You’ll cook everything, including the pasta, in one pot.
- Creamy Comfort: The combination of marinara sauce, heavy cream, and Parmesan creates a luscious, creamy tomato sauce that clings perfectly to the rigatoni.
- Packed with Goodness: Italian sausage adds savory richness, while spinach and sun-dried tomatoes bring freshness and a burst of flavor.
Ingredients Breakdown
- Rigatoni Pasta: The ridges on rigatoni hold the sauce perfectly, ensuring each bite is full of flavor.
- Italian Sausage: Provides the savory base, and you can choose between mild or spicy sausage.
- Tomato Paste and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: These ingredients add a deep, concentrated tomato flavor that complements the creamy sauce.
- Heavy Cream and Marinara Sauce: The combination creates a smooth, rich sauce that coats the pasta beautifully.
- Spinach: Adds a fresh, green element to balance the richness of the dish.
- Parmesan Cheese: Adds a salty, nutty flavor and thickens the sauce.
How To Make It
This is just a summary, the full recipe is below. In a large, deep skillet or pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and fully cooked (about 5-7 minutes). Remove the sausage from the pot and set it aside, leaving any drippings behind.
In the same pot, add about 1 tbsp of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes. Add the diced onions and garlic and sauté until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cooking for another 1-2 minutes to allow the tomato paste to caramelize and deepen in flavor. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes.
Add the chicken broth, marinara sauce and rigatoni to the pot. Stir everything together to ensure the pasta is submerged. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15-17 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking.
Once the rigatoni is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, pour in the heavy cream. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach wilts and the sauce becomes creamy. Season with Italian Seasoning, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Turn the heat off and stir in the freshly grated parmesan, only adding a little at a time to prevent clumping. Stir the sausage back in and mix well. Season to taste if needed.
Pair it with a simple salad or some garlic bread, and you’ve got a restaurant-quality dinner with minimal effort.
Creamy Rigatoni With Italian Sausage
Ingredients
- 12 oz Rigatoni Pasta
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 lb Italian Sausage
- 1/4 Cup Diced Red Onions
- 6-7 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1/2 Cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Oil with 1 tbsp of oil reserved
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 4 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 Cup Marinara Sauce
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 2 Cups Fresh Spinach, chopped frozen is also fine to use
- 1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/4-1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch Oven, heat the Olive Oil over medium heat and brown the Italian sausage. Once it is fully cooked, remove it from the pan, leaving the drippings behind.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add in the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes and saute the onion and garlic for about 3 minutes, Stirring frequently.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes to allow it to caramelize and deepen in flavor, then stir in the sun-dried tomatoes.
- Add the chicken broth, marinara and the rigatoni, making sure the pasta is submerged. If needed, add a little more chicken broth. Bring it to a light boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for approximately 15 minutes, until the pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking.
- When the pasta is cooked, stir in the heavy cream and the spinach and cook for about 3 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Season with the spices listed above.
- Turn off the heat and slowly stir in the parmesan cheese and once it is all completely melted, add the sausage back in. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot and enjoy!
I made this recipe for dinner and it was so good and easy to make! I made a couple adjustments and used the whole 16 oz package of rigatoni and a 24 oz jar of marinara, and it came out so delicious! I love how this is all made in one pot, it makes it so easy. Definitely restaurant quality! This recipe is a keeper and I would definitely make it again!
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