Description
Indulge in creamy sausage rigatoni with spinach in a garlicky tomato sauce. A perfect blend of comfort & taste for an easy, delectable meal!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) rigatoni pasta
- 1 lb (450g) Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 can (14.5 oz/410g) diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 4 cups (120g) fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook rigatoni until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add Italian sausage, breaking it into smaller pieces. Cook until browned, about 7-8 minutes. Transfer two-thirds of the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to the pan with remaining sausage and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes (if using). Simmer for 5 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Slowly stir in heavy cream and simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add spinach in batches, stirring until wilted. Fold in the cooked rigatoni and reserved sausage. If sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted. Remove from heat and let rest for 2 minutes before serving.
- Serve garnished with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired.