Rigatoni with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Zucchini

Made with Italian sausage, tomatoes, and recent zucchini, this flavorful rigatoni pasta recipe is a crowd-pleaser! We love utilizing rigatoni pasta as a result of the tubular pasta catches the tomato sauce, onions, and garlic. However use one other tubular form – or pasta form you need. That is the proper pasta recipe if you’re craving healthy-ish consolation meals however don’t need a kind of heavy baked pasta dishes.

You’ll Love this Rigatoni Pasta Recipe

• Full of taste, this pasta recipe is a household favourite – we make it a minimum of as soon as a month!
• The recent tomato sauce is bursting with taste and texture because of Italian sausage, onions and garlic, wine, and veggies.
• In contrast to a number of rigatoni pasta recipes, there’s no floor beef or heavy cream, making it a lighter alternative. You gained’t really feel tremendous heavy after consuming this pasta recipe!
• Infinitely adaptable, get artistic with the components. Omit the Italian sausage or sub further veggies. Try my substitution solutions within the sections beneath. 
• The tomato sauce is ideal for dipping a chunk of garlic bread or just a few garlic knots. NOM.
• Leftovers are so scrumptious and keep recent for days to come back! Simply be sure to cook dinner the rigatoni pasta al dente. Nobody desires mushy noodles! 

Scrumptious with a Ceasar salad and a chilly bottle of white wine. This pasta dish is sweet change from traditional marinara sauce, and far lighter than baked rigatoni with beef! 

Substances for Rigatoni with Sausage:

• Rigatoni Pasta: That is my most popular pasta form, however use farfalle, penne, or every other pasta form as a substitute.
• Olive Oil: It doesn’t must be high-end olive oil. However I don’t counsel utilizing canola oil or vegetable oil. 
• Crushed Crimson Pepper Flakes: Provides only a contact of warmth. Omit in case you’re utilizing spicy Italian sausage otherwise you don’t like spicy pasta dishes. 
• Italian Sausage: You should use candy Italian sausage, spicy Italian sausage, or use a mix!
• Yellow Onion: However a white onion or shallots will work in a pinch! 
• Garlic: Recent garlic is crucial for including taste. Don’t change this ingredient with garlic powder. 
• Tomato Paste: Along with recent tomatoes, tomato paste provides an additional punch of tomato taste! It additionally helps thicken up the sauce. 
• Grape Tomatoes: This number of tomatoes is what makes our recent tomato sauce. If you happen to can’t discover grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes will work high-quality. Or use a pair massive heirloom tomatoes. Roughly chop them earlier than including them to the pan. 
• White Wine or Broth: Sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio work nice on this pasta recipe. However low-sodium rooster or vegetable broth work too! 
• Recent Zucchini: You should use yellow zucchini, inexperienced zucchini, or a mix of each. Use no matter selection is simple to seek out and appears the freshest. 
• Recent Basil: Dried basil is not going to give this pasta dish the identical taste, so you’ll want to use recent herbs right here. 
• Salt and Pepper: Italian sausage has quantity of salt, so begin with a small quantity and regulate as wanted.
• Parmesan Cheese: That is an optionally available ingredient. However a sprinkle of cheese is at all times a welcome addition in my home.

What’s Rigatoni & Why is it a Particular Pasta Form?

• Rigatoni is a well-liked pasta form that originated in Italy. Particularly fashionable within the south of Italy and Sicily, however now broadly used around the globe.
• The phrase rigatoni comes from the Italian phrase rigato, which suggests ‘lined’ or ‘striped’. 
• Rigatoni noodles are a tubular pasta. Rigatoni is a wider tubular pasta than different tubular shapes like penne and ziti. They’re generally barely curved, different occasions fully straight. 
• Rigatoni Pasta is the proper alternative for baked pasta casserole, pasta recipes with chunky sauces, or creamy sauces. Or with a easy tomato sauce. 
• Rigatonis ridges make it extra adhesive. Which means sauce and cheese will stick with it higher than clean surfaces pasta, like ziti, penne, or elbow noodles. 

Italian Sausage vs Floor Beef

• Italian sausage goes to provide the finest taste and texture on this recipe. It has quite a lot of herbs and spices combined into the meat. And it’ll keep in bigger chunks when cooked. 
• I discover pork sausage works the very best. Use rooster sausage or turkey sausage in case you take pleasure in their taste and texture. 
• You’ll be able to sub floor beef as a substitute of the Italian sausage. I’d counsel including some further basil and perhaps a touch or two of Italian seasoning to make up for the misplaced taste. 

Can I add Heavy Cream to the Tomato Sauce?

• To make this right into a cream sauce, cook dinner as directed. While you take away the pan from warmth, stir in 1 cup of heavy cream, stirring continually as you pour. 
• You can even combine a 1/2 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese into the sauce to make it even creamier. 
• If you happen to add heavy cream and like spicy sauce, you’ll doubtless want further crimson pepper flakes. The cream dilutes the spice, so including extra will provide you with a stronger spicy taste.

The best way to Cook dinner Rigatoni and Tomato Sauce

1. Convey Water to a Boil: After getting boiling water, add salt then add the pasta. Stir the pasta within the boiling water so the noodles don’t stick collectively. 
2. Cook dinner the Pasta: Till al dente. Don’t overcook the rigatoni or it’s going to turn into mushy if you combine it with the tomato sauce. Drain and put aside till wanted. 
3. Make the Sauce: Cook dinner over medium warmth till the tomatoes burst, then toss within the zucchini and cook dinner till tender. Season, style, and regulate as wanted. 
4. Stir within the Pasta: Add within the rigatoni and stir properly to mix. Switch to serving bowls and serve instantly.