Description
A stress-free meal prep lunch featuring creamy rigatoni pasta with savory Italian sausage, tomato paste, and a rich cream sauce that reheats beautifully.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) Rigatoni Pasta
- 1 pound (450g) Italian Sausage (mild or hot, casings removed)
- 1 cup (240ml) Heavy Cream
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 medium Yellow Onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup (120ml) Chicken Broth (low-sodium)
- 1/2 cup (50g) Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
- 1 cup Starchy Pasta Water (reserved)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente (1-2 minutes less than package directions). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While pasta boils, heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add Italian sausage and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving rendered fat in the pot.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in chicken broth to deglaze the pot, scraping up browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Return cooked sausage to the pot. Pour in heavy cream and Italian seasoning. Stir well and simmer gently for 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Do not boil vigorously.
- Add drained rigatoni to the sauce. Toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water gradually if the sauce is too thick. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or cool completely before portioning into meal prep containers.
Notes
For best texture, undercook the pasta slightly as it will continue to absorb sauce during reheating. Let the dish cool to room temperature before packing to prevent condensation and sogginess. If the sauce splits, remove from heat and whisk in a splash of cold pasta water.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the total rec
- Calories: 675
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 32.5
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 62.5
- Fiber: 2.5
- Protein: 27.5
Keywords: meal prep, rigatoni, italian sausage, creamy pasta, easy dinner, batch cooking, comfort food