Spicy Rigatoni Pasta
There’s nothing more comforting and flavorful than this recipe, and that’s why spicy rigatoni pasta is one of my favorite go-to dinners. Because of my love for this dish, this was also one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever developed, barely needing any adjustments from trial and error. This is partially because spicy rigatoni pasta is a dish I’m very passionate about, but also because this is a very forgiving and easy-to-master recipe. It’s packed full of a ton of flavor to set you up for success, whether you’re impressing guests at a dinner party or cooking a weeknight meal for your family.
What pasta can I substitute for rigatoni? Spicy rigatoni pasta works with almost any short pasta shape such as penne, bowtie, or cavatappi. I would recommend avoiding using any kind of long pasta such as linguine or spaghetti to make this recipe. The reason why is that the sauce gets captured in the nooks of the shorter pastas and holds the sauce wonderfully.
Can I substitute anything for heavy cream? Yes, you can substitute any milk product including half and half or whole milk in this recipe. Keep in mind the thinner milk products can result in a thinner sauce for this spicy rigatoni pasta. Because of this, I don’t recommend substituting with a milk alternative such as oat milk or almond milk, as the recipe won’t turn out correct in terms of texture and flavor.
What to do if my pasta sauce is too thick? If your spicy rigatoni pasta sauce turns out too thick, you can thin the sauce with a splash of either water or broth. I recommend doing so slowly and in small intervals to make sure you don’t thin the sauce too much. I don’t recommend adding more cream because this ingredient can mute flavors too much if used in excess, and we don’t want to dull the sauce.
How long does spicy rigatoni pasta last in the fridge? This pasta will last in the fridge for up to 4 days, but I recommend eating it as soon as possible as it will lose its freshness the longer it sits.
What to serve with spicy rigatoni pasta? With a very comforting, rich dish like this spicy rigatoni pasta I recommend serving it with a fresh side, such as a salad or roasted vegetables. However, another great side to serve with this pasta is freshly toasted bread to soak up the leftover sauce.
Can I substitute any other protein for spicy Italian sausage? Absolutely, this recipe is very flexible and (although spicy Italian sausage delivers a lot of valuable flavor to the recipe) you can make substitutions if needed. My favorite ideas for substituting sausage in spicy rigatoni pasta are:
Pancetta or thick-cut bacon
Shrimp
Chicken thighs or breasts
How to make spicy rigatoni pasta:
Spicy Rigatoni Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 spicy Italian sausage links (0.5-1 lb in total)
- 1 fennel bulb
- 1/2 of a large onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 lb of Rigatoni
- 1 teaspoon of red chili flakes
- 3/4 cup of heavy cream
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Pre-heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Take the sausage out of the casings and sauté the meat in the skillet until cooked through and well-browned, about 10 minutes.
- Fill a separate saucepan with water and set aside to boil.
- Meanwhile, slice the onion and fennel into thin strips and mince the garlic.
- Remove the crumbled sausage from the skillet after fully browned and add the fennel and onion. Sauté until the vegetables are translucent and tender, about 8-10 minutes. With about 1 minute left to cook, add the garlic.
- While the vegetables are cooking, check the water to make sure it’s boiling vigorously, salt the water well, and add rigatoni to cook until al dente according to package instructions. We will finish the pasta in the sauce, so don’t overcook the rigatoni. You want the texture of the pasta at this point to be toothsome.
- Remove 1 cup of pasta water and set aside.
- Add the tomato paste and red chili flakes to the pan with the vegetables and fry for 1-2 minutes to allow the tomato paste to cook out its raw flavor.
- Turn the heat down to low and add heavy cream, the al dente noodles, and pasta water to the skillet. Let the ingredients cook over low heat until the pasta is tender and the sauce is thick, about 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat completely and add Parmesan cheese.
- Stir and serve immediately.
