One-Pot Creamy Sausage and Red Bell Pepper Rigatoni
This recipe is hearty and filling, but so simple that it’ll feel like you barely had to lift a finger. I like to double it and create leftovers that I can either freeze or feed the kids for lunch the days after.
In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame and add the chopped red peppers and onions, stirring frequently for 8-10 minutes, or until they are softened and the onions are translucent.
Add the minced garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste, and stir to combine.
Add the sausage into the pan, breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks, until the sausage is brown, about another 8-10 minutes. The better you crumble the sausage, the faster and more evenly the sausage will cook, so putting in the elbow grease here will pay off!
Once the meat is well cooked through and there is no pink left, add the white wine and stir until the wine is mostly evaporated, lifting up anything at the bottom of the pan with your spatula.
Add the marinara sauce, 3 cups of water, and the rigatoni to the pan and stir to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the flame to medium-low and cover with a lid.
Let it simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes to make sure the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. If the liquid is evaporating too quickly, you can add another 1/2 cup of water to loosen it up and reduce the flame to low. Around the 12 minute mark, test the pasta to make sure it's not overcooking or getting soggy.
Once the pasta is cooked al dente, keep the pan on the flame but remove the lid. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano, the chopped basil, and the goat cheese to the mixture, 1 oz at a time, until it's as creamy as you'd like it to be. (For reference, I used 4oz.) If you're using half & half instead of goat cheese, add that instead. Stir to combine.
Continue to heat the mixture on medium-low for another 2 minutes, stirring periodically, then remove the pan from the flame, add some salt and pepper for taste, and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Serve with some additional basil on top, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
One-Pot Creamy Sausage and Red Bell Pepper Rigatoni
Amount Per Serving (8 oz)
Calories 781Calories from Fat 423
% Daily Value*
Fat 47g72%
Saturated Fat 16g100%
Cholesterol 95mg32%
Sodium 1644mg71%
Potassium 935mg27%
Carbohydrates 55g18%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 31g62%
Vitamin A 1678IU34%
Vitamin C 52mg63%
Calcium 217mg22%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.