Made with Italian sausage, juicy tomatoes, and contemporary zucchini, this hearty rigatoni recipe is at all times a crowd-pleaser. We love utilizing rigatoni pasta, however you should use any pasta form you need. That is the right recipe once you’re craving healthy-ish consolation meals.
Why you’ll Love this Rigatoni Pasta Dish
- Filled with taste, this pasta dish is something however bland and boring! Loaded with refreshing flavors you’ll end up craving time and again.
- Complete consolation meals and ideal for nights you need one thing restaurant high quality with out leaving the home! The truth is, I’d go so far as to say that is BETTER than something you’d get from an Italian restaurant.
- Infinitely adaptable, you will get artistic with the substances and nonetheless make a scrumptious pasta dish! Try my substitution strategies within the sections beneath.
- The sauce is ideal for dipping a chunk of garlic bread or a couple of garlic knots. NOM.
- Leftovers are so scrumptious and keep contemporary for days to come back! Simply ensure you cook dinner the rigatoni pasta al dente. Nobody desires mushy noodles!
- This pasta dish is good change from basic marinara sauce, and far lighter than baked rigatoni with beef!
Components for Rigatoni with Sausage:
- Rigatoni Pasta: That is my most popular pasta form, however use farfalle, penne, or some other pasta form as a substitute.
- Olive Oil: It doesn’t should be high-end olive oil. However I don’t counsel utilizing canola oil or vegetable oil.
- Crushed Pink Pepper Flakes: These add only a contact of warmth. You may omit when you’re utilizing spicy Italian sausage otherwise you don’t like spicy pasta dishes.
- Italian Sausage: You should utilize candy Italian sausage, spicy Italian sausage, or use a mix!
- Yellow Onion: However a white onion or shallots will work in a pinch!
- Garlic: Recent garlic is important for including taste. Don’t substitute this ingredient with garlic powder.
- Tomato Paste: Along with contemporary tomatoes, tomato paste provides an additional punch of tomato taste! It additionally helps thicken up the sauce.
- Grape Tomatoes: This number of tomatoes is what makes our contemporary tomato sauce. Should you can’t discover grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes will work high-quality. Or use a pair massive heirloom tomatoes. Roughly chop them earlier than including them to the pan.
- White Wine or Broth: Sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio work nice on this pasta recipe. However low-sodium hen or vegetable broth work too!
- Recent Zucchini: You should utilize yellow zucchini, inexperienced zucchini, or a mix of each. Use no matter selection is straightforward to search out and appears the freshest.
- Recent Basil: Dried basil is not going to give this pasta dish the identical taste, so you should definitely use contemporary herbs right here.
- Salt and Pepper: As a result of Italian sausage has a great quantity of salt, you’ll wish to begin with a small quantity and modify as wanted.
- Parmesan Cheese: That is an elective ingredient. However a sprinkle of cheese is at all times a welcome addition in my home.
What’s Rigatoni & Why is it a Particular Pasta Form?
- Rigatoni is a well-liked pasta form that originated in Italy. It’s particularly common within the south of Italy and Sicily.
- The phrase rigatoni comes from the Italian phrase rigato, which suggests ‘lined’ or ‘striped’.
- Rigatoni noodles are wider than penne and ziti. They’re generally barely curved, different instances utterly straight.
- Rigatoni Pasta is the right selection for baked pasta casserole, pasta recipes with chunky sauces, or creamy sauces. Or with a easy tomato sauce.
- Rigatonis ridges make it extra adhesive. That means sauce and cheese will stick with it higher than clean surfaces pasta, like ziti, penne, or elbow noodles.
Italian Sausage vs Floor Beef
- Italian sausage goes to provide the greatest taste and texture on this recipe. It has quite a lot of herbs and spices combined into the meat. And it’ll keep in bigger chunks when cooked.
- I discover pork sausage works the most effective. Use hen sausage or turkey sausage when you take pleasure in their taste and texture.
- You may sub floor beef as a substitute of the Italian sausage. I’d counsel including some further basil and perhaps a touch or two of Italian seasoning to make up for the misplaced taste.
Can I add Heavy Cream to the Tomato Sauce?
- Completely! To make this right into a cream sauce, cook dinner as directed. While you take away the pan from warmth, stir in 1 cup of heavy cream, stirring continually as you pour.
- You can even combine a 1/2 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese into the sauce to make it even creamier.
Learn how to Cook dinner Rigatoni
- Carry Water to a Boil: Add salt as soon as the water is quickly boiling. Then add the pasta and stir so the noodles don’t stick collectively.
- Cook dinner the Pasta: Till al dente. Don’t overcook or it would turn out to be mushy once you combine it with the tomato sauce. Drain and put aside till wanted.
- Make the Sauce: Cook dinner till the tomatoes burst, then toss within the zucchini and cook dinner till tender. Season, style, and modify as wanted.
- Stir within the Pasta: Add within the rigatoni and stir nicely to mix. Switch to serving bowls and serve instantly.
Rigatoni with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Zucchini
Made with Italian sausage, juicy tomatoes, and contemporary zucchini, this hearty rigatoni recipe is at all times a crowd-pleaser. We love utilizing rigatoni pasta, however you should use any pasta form you need. That is the right recipe once you’re craving healthy-ish consolation meals.
Components
- 3/4 lb rigatoni pasta
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 massive yellow onion finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed purple pepper flakes elective
- 1 lb Italian sausage (gentle, candy, or spicy will work)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups grape tomatoes
- 1 cup white wine or hen broth
- 2 small zucchini diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup contemporary basil chopped
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
-
Carry a big pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high warmth.
-
Add oil to a big, broad pot and produce to a simmer over medium warmth. Add within the onion and crushed purple pepper and cook dinner till the onion may be very delicate, about 10 minutes. Add within the sausage and, utilizing a picket spoon, break it into small items. Cook dinner till sausage is brown and no pink colour stays.
-
Add within the garlic and cook dinner for 1 minute, or till aromatic. Stir within the tomato paste.
-
Add within the tomatoes and wine (or inventory) and season with salt and pepper. Cook dinner, stirring sometimes, till the tomatoes start to burst and provides off their juices, about 10 minutes. Use a picket spoon to softly press the tomatoes in the event that they’re not bursting on their very own. Stir within the zucchini and cook dinner for five minutes.
-
Within the meantime, add the rigatoni into the boiling water and cook dinner for 9 to 10 minutes, or till al dente.
-
Drain the pasta, reserving a 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Toss the pasta instantly into the pot with the sauce and stir nicely to mix. Add in a number of the reserved cooking water, if wanted. Lastly, stir within the basil.
-
Take away from warmth and divide amongst serving bowls. High with cheese and serve directly!