Creamy Sausage Rigatoni

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Creamy Sausage Rigatoni is the dinner I make when I want something that tastes like it simmered all afternoon but actually comes together in about 40 minutes. Italian sausage browns in the pot, a tomato sauce builds around it, and rigatoni cooks right in that sauce until every ridge is coated.

Browning the sausage and letting the tomatoes reduce for a few minutes before the cream goes in is what keeps this from tasting thin or watery. Tomatoes cooked down concentrate their flavor, so by the time the cream and parmesan get stirred in, the sauce already has some backbone to build on instead of just turning pink and diluted. Rigatoni’s ridges and wide tube hold onto that sauce better than a smooth noodle would, which is really the whole reason to reach for it here.

Buying sausage without casings, or slitting the casings and squeezing the meat out yourself, saves a step and means there’s no browning-then-removing-casings shuffle at the stove. This is a genuine one-pot dinner, sausage, sauce, and pasta all in the same pan, and it’s just as good reheated the next day for lunch.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A sauce with real depth. Reducing the tomatoes before the cream goes in keeps the flavor concentrated, not watery.
• Truly one pot. Sausage, sauce, and rigatoni all cook together, so there’s only one pot to wash.
• Rigatoni that holds the sauce. The ridges and wide tube catch more sauce than a smooth noodle.
• Cozy, crowd-pleasing flavor. Tastes like it simmered for hours, ready in about 40 minutes.

Creamy Sausage Rigatoni Ingredients

Italian sausage comes mild or hot, and either works here depending on how much spice your family likes. If all you can find is sausage in casings, slit them lengthwise with a knife and squeeze the meat out before it hits the pot, the casings themselves aren’t something you want cooked into the sauce.

• 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 12 oz rigatoni, uncooked
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan
• Fresh basil, for serving

Recipe Variations

• Use hot Italian sausage instead of mild if your family likes more heat.
• Stir in a couple handfuls of baby spinach at the end for extra color and nutrition.
• No rigatoni? Penne or ziti both hold the sauce almost as well.

How to Make Creamy Sausage Rigatoni

1. Brown the sausage: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, breaking it up as it browns, about 8-10 minutes, until no longer pink and it reaches 160°F. Drain off excess grease, leaving a bit behind for flavor.
2. Sauté the aromatics: Add the onion to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. Build the tomato base: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, until slightly reduced.
4. Add the broth and cook the rigatoni: Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the rigatoni. Cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender.
5. Finish creamy: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and parmesan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened.
6. Serve: Top with fresh basil and extra parmesan.

Recipe FAQs

Can I Use Ground Italian Sausage Instead of Links?

Yes, that’s actually the easiest option since there are no casings to deal with. Brown it the same way, breaking it up as it cooks, and it browns just as quickly as the link version.

Why Remove the Casings?

The casings can turn tough and chewy once the sausage simmers with the sauce, since they’re meant to hold their shape through grilling or pan-frying, not a long simmer. Removing them lets the meat crumble and blend into the dish instead, the same way ground beef would.

Can I Use a Different Pasta Shape?

Penne or ziti both work well since they’re similar in size and hold sauce almost as well as rigatoni. Avoid thin noodles like spaghetti, which don’t cook evenly stirred into a thick sauce.

My Sauce Turned out Too Thin. How Do I Fix It?

Simmer it uncovered for a few extra minutes after the cream goes in, it thickens as it reduces. A little extra parmesan stirred in also helps.

Can I Double This, and What Should I Serve It With?

Yes, use your largest pot and add a few extra minutes for the pasta to cook through. Garlic bread and a simple green salad are all it needs alongside it.

Cooking Tips

• Let the tomatoes reduce for the full 3-4 minutes before adding broth, that’s where a lot of the sauce’s depth comes from.
• Stir occasionally while the rigatoni cooks so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
• Add the cream and parmesan over low heat, not a hard simmer, so the sauce stays smooth instead of separating.

Storage and Freezing

To store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To freeze: This one freezes reasonably well since the tomatoes balance out the cream, up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

To reheat: Warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of broth, or microwave in 1-minute bursts, stirring between each.

How to Serve Creamy Sausage Rigatoni

Creamy Sausage Rigatoni is rich enough to eat on its own with just a piece of crusty bread for the extra sauce, though a simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette is a nice contrast to all that cream. It also makes great next-day lunches straight out of the fridge, warmed up with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce back up.

Loved This Recipe?

Creamy Sausage Rigatoni is the kind of one-pot dinner that tastes like it took a lot more effort than it actually did.

Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.

Creamy Sausage Rigatoni

Creamy sausage rigatoni with Italian sausage, a tomato cream sauce, and parmesan, all made in one pot.

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Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:30 minutes mins

Total Time:40 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian-American

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian sausage casings removed
• 1 small yellow onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 12 oz rigatoni uncooked
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan
• fresh basil for serving

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Instructions

• Brown the sausage: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, breaking it up as it browns, about 8-10 minutes, until no longer pink and it reaches 160°F. Drain off excess grease, leaving a bit behind for flavor.
• Sauté the aromatics: Add the onion to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
• Build the tomato base: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, until slightly reduced.
• Add the broth and cook the rigatoni: Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the rigatoni. Cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender.
• Finish creamy: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and parmesan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened.
• Serve: Top with fresh basil and extra parmesan.

Notes

Let the tomatoes reduce for a few minutes before adding the broth and cream, it builds real depth into the sauce. Cook sausage to an internal temperature of 160°F.