Ingredients
Meat and Dairy
- 15 oz Italian sausage (crumbled)
- 1 cup heavy cream
Pantry Items
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 oz rigatoni (uncooked)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 15 oz tomato sauce (such as tomato pasta sauce or marinara)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or Herbs from Provence)
- salt and coarsely ground black pepper (to taste)
- red pepper flakes (to taste)
Fresh Produce
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 5 oz fresh spinach
Instructions
- Heat the oil: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat in a large, high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet on the stovetop.
- Cook the sausage: Add the crumbled Italian sausage to the skillet and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is fully cooked through. Drain any excess grease or liquid from the pan.
- Add pasta and liquids: To the same skillet with cooked sausage, add the uncooked rigatoni, chicken broth, heavy cream, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and tomato sauce.
- Bring to boil and simmer: Stir everything well and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Cover the skillet with a lid and let the pasta cook for 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat while the sauce boils and thickens.
- Cook pasta al dente: Stir frequently during cooking to prevent the pasta and sausage from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the rigatoni reaches an al dente texture.
- Add spinach: Stir in fresh spinach and cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently until the spinach wilts to your liking. Alternatively, remove the skillet from heat, top the rigatoni with spinach, cover with the lid, and let the spinach wilt off heat in the residual heat for about 4 minutes, then stir to combine.
- Adjust sauce consistency: If you prefer a thicker sauce, continue cooking longer, stirring as needed.
- Finish and season: Mix everything well, remove from heat and season with salt, freshly ground coarse black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Use your best judgment for salt depending on the saltiness of the sausage.
Notes
- This is a one-pan stovetop recipe with minimal cleanup.
- Cooking time may vary slightly depending on pasta brand and stove heat.
- For a spicier dish, add more red pepper flakes.
- Use Italian sausage with or without casing removed depending on preference.
- Fresh spinach can be substituted with baby kale or arugula if desired.
- Step-by-step photos are available above the recipe card to help visualize each step.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
