Description
Creamy garlic sausage alfredo rigatoni brings Italian comfort to your dinner table with rich, hearty flavors. Bold pasta strands mingle with savory sausage, creating a luxurious meal that satisfies deep cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) rigatoni pasta
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound (450 grams) garlic sausage, sliced or crumbled
- 1 ½ cups (360 milliliters) heavy cream
- 1 cup (100 grams) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings and Garnish:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
- Salt, to taste
- Chopped parsley or basil
- Extra Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Boil rigatoni in a generously salted water bath, ensuring pasta reaches perfect al dente texture. Drain thoroughly and lightly coat with olive oil to prevent clumping, then reserve for later assembly.
- Sear garlic sausage in a spacious skillet over medium heat, developing a rich golden-brown exterior. Once fully cooked, extract sausage from pan while preserving the flavorful rendered fat.
- Transform the skillet into a creamy sauce haven by melting butter and introducing minced garlic. Allow aromatics to bloom for approximately two minutes, releasing their intense fragrance.
- Gently cascade heavy cream into the skillet, creating a luxurious base. Incorporate Parmesan cheese, cracked black pepper, and optional nutmeg, stirring continuously until sauce transforms into a velvety consistency.
- Reintroduce seared sausage into the silky sauce, then carefully fold in cooked rigatoni. Ensure each pasta tube becomes thoroughly enrobed in the decadent mixture.
- Plate the saucy rigatoni with artistic flair, garnishing generously with fresh parsley or basil. Dust with additional Parmesan cheese for an elegant finishing touch. Serve immediately while sauce remains gloriously warm and inviting.
Notes
- Pasta Water Magic: Save a cup of starchy pasta water before draining to help thin or adjust sauce consistency if needed, creating a silky smooth texture.
- Sausage Selection Flexibility: Swap garlic sausage with spicy Italian, chicken, or vegetarian sausage alternatives to match dietary preferences or flavor profiles.
- Cream Sauce Rescue: If sauce breaks or separates, whisk in a tablespoon of cold butter off the heat to restore creamy smoothness and prevent curdling.
- Gluten-Free Adaptation: Use gluten-free rigatoni and confirm sausage doesn’t contain wheat-based fillers to make the dish celiac-friendly without compromising taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 700
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg