Made with Italian sausage, juicy tomatoes, and recent zucchini, this hearty rigatoni recipe is at all times a crowd-pleaser. We love utilizing rigatoni pasta, however you should utilize any pasta form you need. That is the proper recipe while you’re craving healthy-ish consolation meals.
Why you’ll Love this Rigatoni Pasta Dish
- Full of taste, this pasta dish is something however bland and boring! Loaded with refreshing flavors you’ll end up craving again and again.
- Whole consolation meals and excellent for nights you need one thing restaurant high quality with out leaving the home! In reality, 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 elements and nonetheless make a scrumptious pasta dish! Take a look at my substitution ideas within the sections under.
- The sauce is ideal for dipping a bit of garlic bread or a couple of garlic knots. NOM.
- Leftovers are so scrumptious and keep recent for days to come back! Simply be sure to prepare dinner the rigatoni pasta al dente. Nobody desires mushy noodles!
- This pasta dish is sweet change from traditional 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 an alternative.
- Olive Oil: It doesn’t have to be high-end olive oil. However I don’t recommend utilizing canola oil or vegetable oil.
- Crushed Pink Pepper Flakes: These add only a contact of warmth. You may omit if you happen to’re utilizing spicy Italian sausage otherwise you don’t like spicy pasta dishes.
- Italian Sausage: You need to use candy Italian sausage, spicy Italian sausage, or use a mixture!
- Yellow Onion: However a white onion or shallots will work in a pinch!
- Garlic: Contemporary garlic is important for including taste. Don’t exchange this ingredient with garlic powder.
- Tomato Paste: Along with recent 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 recent tomato sauce. In case you can’t discover grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes will work high quality. Or use a pair giant 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!
- Contemporary Zucchini: You need to use yellow zucchini, inexperienced zucchini, or a mixture of each. Use no matter selection is simple to seek out and appears the freshest.
- Contemporary Basil: Dried basil is not going to give this pasta dish the identical taste, so make sure to use recent 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 regulate as wanted.
- Parmesan Cheese: That is an non-obligatory 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 fashionable within the south of Italy and Sicily.
- The phrase rigatoni comes from the Italian phrase rigato, which implies ‘lined’ or ‘striped’.
- Rigatoni noodles are wider than penne and ziti. They’re generally barely curved, different occasions utterly straight.
- Rigatoni Pasta is the proper 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 keep on with it higher than easy surfaces pasta, like ziti, penne, or elbow noodles.
Italian Sausage vs Floor Beef
- Italian sausage goes to provide the finest 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 if you happen to take pleasure in their taste and texture.
- You may sub floor beef as an alternative of the Italian sausage. I’d recommend including some additional basil and possibly 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, prepare dinner as directed. While you take away the pan from warmth, stir in 1 cup of heavy cream, stirring continuously as you pour.
- You may as well combine a 1/2 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese into the sauce to make it even creamier.
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 is going to turn into mushy while 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 prepare dinner till tender. Season, style, and regulate as wanted.
- Stir within the Pasta: Add within the rigatoni and stir effectively to mix. Switch to serving bowls and serve instantly.
Rigatoni with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Zucchini
Made with Italian sausage, juicy tomatoes, and recent zucchini, this hearty rigatoni recipe is at all times a crowd-pleaser. We love utilizing rigatoni pasta, however you should utilize any pasta form you need. That is the proper recipe while you’re craving healthy-ish consolation meals.
Components
- 3/4 lb rigatoni pasta
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 giant yellow onion finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed pink pepper flakes non-obligatory
- 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 recent basil chopped
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
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Carry a big pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high warmth.
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Add oil to a big, vast pot and produce to a simmer over medium warmth. Add within the onion and crushed pink pepper and prepare dinner till the onion may be very smooth, 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.
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Add within the garlic and prepare dinner for 1 minute, or till aromatic. Stir within the tomato paste.
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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 prepare dinner for five minutes.
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Within the meantime, add the rigatoni into the boiling water and prepare dinner for 9 to 10 minutes, or till al dente.
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Drain the pasta, reserving a 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Toss the pasta instantly into the pot with the sauce and stir effectively to mix. Add in a few of the reserved cooking water, if wanted. Lastly, stir within the basil.
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Take away from warmth and divide amongst serving bowls. Prime with cheese and serve directly!