Rigatoni with Sausage

This is the kind of pasta dinner that gets thrown together on a busy weeknight and tastes like it took way more effort than it did. Crumbled Italian sausage gets browned and simmered with garlic, red wine, spaghetti sauce, peppers, and olives, then tossed with hot rigatoni and a generous handful of grated cheese.

Brown the sausage first, breaking it into small crumbles with a spoon as it cooks. Removing the casings makes this much easier. Spoon off the excess fat after browning. You want the sausage flavor in the sauce, not a greasy slick floating on top.

Red wine goes in with the sauce and simmers for five minutes, just long enough to cook off the alcohol and concentrate into the background flavor. The olives add a briny, salty pop that cuts through the richness of the sausage and cheese. Toss everything together with the hot rigatoni so the sauce gets inside those big tubes. That’s the whole point of rigatoni: every bite is loaded.

Kitchen Tips

• Use hot or sweet Italian sausage depending on your heat preference. Hot sausage with the peppers creates serious spice; sweet sausage keeps it more family-friendly.
• Cook the rigatoni one minute short of al dente, then let it finish in the sauce. It absorbs flavor and reaches the right texture at the same time.
• Use a wide skillet, not a deep pot. More surface area means the sausage browns instead of steams, and the sauce reduces faster.

Variations

• Creamy version: Stir in a splash of heavy cream at the end for a rosé-style sauce that mellows the tomato acidity.
• Add greens: Toss in a handful of fresh baby spinach or arugula right before serving. The heat wilts it instantly and adds color.