Creamy Sausage Rigatoni (One-Pan, 30-Minute Meal) Recipe
This Creamy Sausage Rigatoni is a comforting one-pan Italian-inspired meal ready in just 30 minutes. Featuring crumbled Italian sausage, tender rigatoni pasta, and a rich tomato cream sauce infused with garlic and Italian seasoning, it’s a perfect weeknight dinner that’s both hearty and easy to prepare. Fresh spinach adds a vibrant touch and nutritional boost, all cooked together in a single heavy-bottomed skillet for minimal cleanup.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Primary Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 15 oz Italian sausage, crumbled
- 8 oz rigatoni pasta (uncooked)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or Herbs from Provence)
- 15 oz tomato sauce (such as tomato pasta sauce or marinara)
- 5 oz fresh spinach
- Salt, to taste
- Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
- Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil: Place a large, high-sided heavy-bottomed skillet on medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to warm up.
- Cook the sausage: Add the crumbled Italian sausage to the skillet and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Break up the sausage as it cooks until it’s cooked through. Drain off any excess grease or liquid from the pan.
- Add the remaining ingredients: To the skillet with the sausage, add the uncooked rigatoni, chicken broth, heavy cream, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and tomato sauce. Stir everything well to combine.
- Simmer the pasta: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, cover the skillet with a lid and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Cook until the rigatoni is al dente and the sauce has thickened to your liking.
- Wilt the spinach: Add fresh spinach to the skillet and stir frequently for 2-3 minutes over medium heat until the spinach wilts. Alternatively, remove the skillet from heat, add the spinach, cover with the lid, and let the residual heat wilt the spinach for 4 minutes before stirring.
- Finish and season: Mix everything well to combine. Remove the skillet from heat. Season to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes if desired. Adjust seasoning carefully because the sausage may already add saltiness.
Notes
- Use a heavy-bottomed, high-sided skillet to ensure even cooking and reduce sticking or burning.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, cook the pasta slightly longer uncovered to allow more liquid to evaporate.
- Fresh spinach can be wilted directly in residual heat if you want a gentler cooking method.
- Adjust seasoning carefully as the sausage and tomato sauce already contain salt.
- This recipe serves 4 and can be doubled for larger groups.
