Description
Sausage and spinach rigatoni brings Italian comfort to your dinner table with hearty pasta packed with savory sausage and nutrient-rich greens. Creamy sauce and perfectly al dente rigatoni create a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 15 ounces (425 grams) Italian sausage (crumbled)
- 8 ounces (227 grams) rigatoni (uncooked)
- 5 ounces (142 grams) fresh spinach
- 15 ounces (425 grams) tomato sauce
Dairy and Liquid Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) chicken broth
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream
Herbs, Seasonings, and Aromatics:
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt (to taste)
- Coarsely ground black pepper (to taste)
- Red pepper flakes (to taste)
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a spacious, deep skillet over medium heat.
- Introduce crumbled sausage and sauté until golden brown and thoroughly separated, approximately 5 minutes. Eliminate excess fat.
- Combine uncooked rigatoni with chicken broth, heavy cream, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and tomato sauce in the skillet. Thoroughly integrate all components.
- Elevate to a rolling boil, then transition to a gentle simmer. Cover and allow pasta to cook until tender, around 10-15 minutes, stirring intermittently to prevent sticking.
- Gently fold fresh spinach into the skillet, continuing to cook until leaves collapse and wilt completely, roughly 2-4 minutes.
- Extract skillet from heat source. Season the dish with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for added zest.
- Transfer to serving plates while piping hot, ensuring each portion captures the rich, creamy essence of the sauce and perfectly cooked ingredients.
Notes
- Swap out spicy Italian sausage for mild versions if you prefer less heat or have sensitive taste buds.
- Create a lighter version by using turkey sausage and replacing heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk for reduced calories.
- Fresh spinach can be substituted with frozen spinach – just drain excess water thoroughly before adding to maintain sauce consistency.
- Gluten-free alternative works perfectly by using gluten-free rigatoni without changing other recipe ingredients.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 590 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg