Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Rigatoni with Spicy Sausage
Ingredients:
1 pound rigatoni pasta
1 pound spicy Italian sausage, removed from casing
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and seeded (or 1 jar roasted red peppers, drained)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for extra spice)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh basil leaves, chopped, for garnish
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni until al dente. Before draining, save about a cup of the pasta water to help with the sauce later.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook it, breaking it apart as it browns. Once fully cooked, transfer the sausage to a plate.
Add the chopped onion to the same skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until it smells great.
In a blender, combine the roasted red peppers and heavy cream. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth, then pour it into the skillet with the onion and garlic. Stir in Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes if you like it spicy. Let it simmer for 5 minutes to thicken a bit.
Add the sausage back into the skillet, then stir in the Parmesan cheese. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper to your taste.
Now add the cooked rigatoni and toss everything together until the pasta is fully coated in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, mix in some of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up.
Top with extra Parmesan and fresh basil before serving. Enjoy warm
Cooking Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 6 | Calories: Approximately 650 per serving