This spicy sausage rigatoni al forno is a quick and easy weeknight baked pasta, full of flavour. Spicy Italian sausage, rigatoni with a bite, and a creamy but spicy rosé sauce, make for a soon-to-be family favourite! The sauce is made from scratch, and is ready to go by the time your pasta is cooked. If you're looking for more delicious pasta inspo, my Cheesecake Factory copycat Tomato Basil Pasta is a weeknight winner - from home!
While this pasta is extremely filling on its own, it will also go great with cheesy garlic bread, or a delicious, homemade caesar salad.
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Ingredients
- Rigatoni pasta
- Hot Italian sausage
- Onion
- Garlic
- Tomato paste
- Dried oregano
- Red chilli flakes
- Heavy cream
- Fresh bocconcini cheese
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Instructions
START WITH...
Collecting all your ingredients - This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Boiling a pot of water - Have your pasta water boiling and ready to go, so everything is ready at around the same time.
Chop your onions and garlic - Finely dice the onion, and mince your fresh garlic.
- Boil the pasta: Boil the rigatoni in a pot of heavily salted water, until al dente. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Brown the sausage, onion and garlic: In a large pot, brown the Italian sausage, taken out of the casing, in olive oil. Break the sausage apart and crumble. Once the sausage is mostly browned, add the onion and garlic. Sauté until fragrant and translucent.
- Make the sauce: Add the tomato paste and spices to the sausage, onion and garlic mixture. Combine everything well, and cook the tomato paste through for 2-3 minutes. Add the heavy cream once the tomato paste is cooked through, and combine well.
- Toss the pasta: Add the cooked rigatoni, and half of the pasta water to the pot. Toss well. Add more pasta water if you feel that the sauce is too thick.
- Bake the pasta: Transfer the pasta to a baking dish, and top with torn bocconcini cheese. Broil for 5-10 minutes on LO, until the cheese is melted.
Expert Tip
If you can't find sausage out of the casing, the easiest way to take the sausage out of the casing is to squeeze it out of the casing from one side. You do not need to cut the casing in any way. Squeeze from the top, and the meat will come out!
Substitutions
- Rigatoni pasta - Feel free to use any kind of pasta for this dish. I do, however, suggest using tubular pastas instead of long pastas such as spaghetti.
- Tomato paste - You can use prepared pasta sauce instead of making it from scratch.
- Vegetarian - Substitute mushrooms in place of sausage to make this pasta vegetarian.
- Bocconcini cheese - Use shredded mozzarella, or ricotta cheese as a topper.
Equipment
This is what I used to make this recipe - Please be mindful that different equipment and cooking utensils may yield varying results. Most of my favourite equipment can be found on my storefront.
- Large pot
- Baking dish
Storage
Transfer the cooled pasta into an airtight container. This pasta keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days.
This pasta can also be frozen, in a freezer-safe container. Reheat in the oven or in the microwave, for an easy on-the-go meal!
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Spicy Sausage Rigatoni Al Forno
Ingredients
- 2 Hot Italian sausages casings removed
- 8 oz Rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon Fresh garlic minced
- ½ Onion finely diced
- 2 tablespoon Tomato paste
- ½ cup Heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Red chilli flakes
- ½ cup Bocconcini cheese pearls
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Boil the pasta: Boil the rigatoni in a pot of heavily salted water, until al dente. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.8 oz Rigatoni pasta
- Brown the sausage, onion and garlic: In a large pot, brown the Italian sausage, taken out of the casing, in olive oil. Break the sausage apart and crumble. Once the sausage is mostly browned, add the onion and garlic. Sauté until fragrant and translucent.2 Hot Italian sausages, ½ Onion, 1 tablespoon Fresh garlic
- Make the sauce: Add the tomato paste and spices to the sausage, onion and garlic mixture. Combine everything well, and cook the tomato paste through for 2-3 minutes. Add the heavy cream once the tomato paste is cooked through, and combine well.2 tablespoon Tomato paste, 1 teaspoon Dried oregano, 1 teaspoon Red chilli flakes, ½ cup Heavy cream
- Toss the pasta: Add the cooked rigatoni, and half of the pasta water to the pot. Toss well. Add more pasta water if you feel that the sauce is too thick.
- Bake the pasta: Transfer the pasta to a baking dish, and top with torn bocconcini cheese. Broil for 5-10 minutes on LO, until the cheese is melted.½ cup Bocconcini cheese pearls
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