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Sausage Rigatoni – one-pot 30 minute meal! Tender pasta simmered in a creamy tomato sauce with Italian sausage. Great weeknight meal loaded with comfort!

white bowl with creamy sausage rigatoni garnished with grated parmesan cheese, served with breadsticks

If you’re like me, you can never have too many one-pot, 30 minute recipes tucked away for busy weeknights. This one happens to be restaurant quality – perfect for entertaining too.

Friends, this quick and easy recipe is absolutely irresistible and needs to be added to your menu this week. You won’t be disappointed.

white bowl with creamy sausage rigatoni and small black bowl with grated parmesan cheese

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS RECIPE:

  • Pasta and Italian sausage in a creamy tomato sauce with layers of rich flavor.
  • Everything cooks completely in one pot – NO boiling pasta separately!
  • Quick enough for a busy weeknight with restaurant quality taste.
  • Easy hearty dish – whips up in just 30 minutes with ingredients from grocery stores.

WHAT KIND OF SAUSAGE IS BEST IN THIS RECIPE?

Both bulk sausage and sausage in casing work well. Remove sausage from casings before cooking.

  • Mild italian sausage
  • Spicy italian sausage (hot italian Sausage)
  • Sweet italian sausage
  • Italian sausage with fennel
  • Chicken or turkey sausage

WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO MAKE SAUSAGE RIGATONI?

overhead view - white bowl with creamy sausage rigatoni served with crispy breadsticks

  • olive oil
  • Italian sausage mild or spicy removed from casing and crumbled
  • garlic cloves
  • tomato paste
  • dry red wine (cabernet, merlot or pinot noir)
  • can crushed tomatoes
  • can diced tomatoes
  • chicken stock
  • heavy whipping cream
  • rigatoni uncooked
  • dry Italian seasoning
  • parmesan cheese
  • fresh spinach (optional)

HOW TO MAKE SAUSAGE RIGATONI:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat to medium-high heat.

Crumble sausage in and when it’s almost finished cooking, add minced garlic and continue cooking another minute or so until sausage is no longer pink.

Reduce heat to low, add tomato paste and wine to the cooked sausage. Simmer 2-3 minutes letting the wine reduce.

Pour in crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken stock and heavy cream. Add uncooked rigatoni pasta and Italian seasoning.

Stir well to combine then bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer 8-10 minutes over medium to medium-low heat stirring frequently so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the skillet.

Stir in parmesan cheese and (optional) fresh spinach.

Continue cooking 1-2 minutes or until spinach is wilted and the pasta is al dente.

Taste and if you needed add a pinch of salt.

overhead view white bowl with creamy sausage rigatoni, crispy breadsticks and small black bowl of parmesan cheese

VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS TO THIS RECIPE:

  • 1 medium zucchini grated and drained of liquid
  • 4 ounces sauteed mushrooms
  • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • fresh basil leaves
  • use chicken broth instead of chicken stock
  • garlic powder instead of fresh garlic
  • diced red bell peppers
  • try another type of pasta next time you make this dish
  • double the recipe using a full pound of pasta

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SAUSAGE RIGATONI:

Cheesy Garlic Bread Sticks

Focaccia Bread

Antipasto Salad

Bruschetta Bar

LOOKING FOR MORE EASY PASTA RECIPES?

Marry Me Pasta with Chicken

Cheesy Chicken Pasta with Brussels Sprouts

Basil Pesto Pasta

Enjoy!

pinterest pin for creamy sausage rigatoni

Tried this Creamy Rigatoni with Sausage recipe? Leave a comment, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and TAG ME with a photo of yours on social media! @agoudalife or #agoudalife

overhead view - white bowl with creamy sausage rigatoni served with crispy breadsticks

Sausage Rigatoni

Easy one pot recipe - Creamy Sausage Rigatoni – tender pasta simmered in a creamy tomato sauce with Italian sausage. Great weeknight meal loaded with comfort - ready in 30 minutes!
4.80 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4
Calories

Equipment

  • large deep skillet or pot

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound italian sausage mild or spicy removed from casing
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup dry red wine cabernet, merlot or pinot noir
  • 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 15 ounce3 can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 8 ounces rigatoni uncooked
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dry italian seasoning
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese + more for serving
  • 4 ounces fresh spinach (optional) - remove stems and rough chop

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat to medium-high heat. Crumble sausage in and when it’s almost finished cooking, add minced garlic and continue cooking another minute or so until sausage is no longer pink.
  • Reduce heat to low, add tomato paste and wine to the cooked sausage. Simmer 2-3 minutes letting the wine reduce.
  • Pour in crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken stock and heavy cream. Add uncooked  pasta and Italian seasoning.
  • Stir well to combine then bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 8-10 minutes over medium to medium-low heat stirring frequently so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the skillet.
  • Stir in parmesan cheese and (optional) fresh spinach. Continue cooking 1-2 minutes or until spinach is wilted and the pasta is al dente. Taste and if you needed add a pinch of salt. Eat right away.
Keyword creamy sausage rigatoni, one pot sausage rigatoni, one pot creamy sausage rigatoni, one pot meal, 30 minute meal, easy italian recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
4.80 from 5 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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4 Comments

  1. This pasta dish is fabulous. The flavor and aroma says Italy. A glass of red wine and I’m at heavens gate. Maybe a cannoli for desert. Good job A Gouda Life.

  2. This is one of the best pasta recipes I’ve ever made. My husband and I both loved this. I really like the addition of the red wine in there. It tastes really good and adds flavor. I added extra crushed red pepper because we both really like spicy. Thanks so much for this recipe. I will be making it again and again. It definitely tastes like a restaurant-quality dish.