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Creamy Tuscan Sausage Rigatoni

creamy tuscan sausage rigatoni - featured image
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A comforting and easy homemade pasta dish featuring creamy sauce, Italian sausage, and fresh spinach, perfect for busy weeknights or cozy dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
  • 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed (mild or spicy)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (optional)
  • 4 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook according to package instructions until al dente (about 10-12 minutes). Drain and set aside, reserving about ½ cup pasta water.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through (6-8 minutes).
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes (if using) to the sausage. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  4. Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream. Stir to combine, scraping up browned bits. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
  5. Add chopped spinach and grated Parmesan cheese. Stir until spinach wilts and cheese melts. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  6. Add drained rigatoni to the skillet and toss gently to coat. If sauce is too thick, loosen with reserved pasta water, a tablespoon at a time.
  7. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan or fresh herbs if desired.

Notes

Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency. Use fresh grated Parmesan for best flavor. Avoid overcrowding pan when browning sausage. Simmer cream gently to prevent separation. Wilt spinach just until it shrinks to maintain texture.

Nutrition

Keywords: Tuscan sausage, creamy pasta, rigatoni, spinach, comfort food, easy dinner, Italian sausage pasta

Find it online: https://realityeats.com/creamy-tuscan-sausage-rigatoni-recipe-easy-homemade-comfort-pasta/