Italian
Sausage and Peppers Rigatoni
Rigatoni is tossed with Italian sausage, softened bell peppers, and onion in a light tomato sauce. The tomato coats the pasta without burying the peppers.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Sausage is browned in pieces so you get crust, not gray crumbles.
- The peppers cook in the sausage fat until they soften and spot, which is the flavor of the dish.
- Only a cup of tomato goes in, so the sauce stays a coating.
- Rigatoni tubes catch bits of sausage and pepper in the hollow center.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Cook the rigatoni until al dente, usually 11 to 13 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- 2
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add the sausage in rough 1-inch pieces. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, until the pieces are browned and the center of the thickest piece reads 160°F. Move the sausage to a plate.
- 3
Leave the fat in the skillet. If it is more than about 2 tbsp, spoon some off. Add the onion and both peppers. Cook over medium-high 6 to 8 minutes, until they soften and pick up brown spots.
- 4
Add the garlic, oregano, and black pepper. Stir 30 seconds.
- 5
Pour in the crushed tomatoes. Return the sausage and any juices. Simmer 3 minutes so the tomato thickens slightly but still looks loose.
- 6
Add the rigatoni and 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss for 1 minute, until the sauce clings. Add a little more pasta water if the pan looks dry.
- 7
Take the skillet off the heat, stir in the parsley, and taste for salt. Sausage is already salty, so you may not need any.
Pro tips
- Cut the sausage out of the casings and pinch off pieces. A solid log will not brown evenly.
- Sweet or hot Italian sausage both work. Hot will carry the heat of the dish, so taste a pinch of the raw mix if you are unsure.
- Slice the peppers evenly, about 1/4 inch, so they finish with the onion.
Easy substitutions
- Italian sausage
- chicken sausage, cooked to 165°F
- rigatoni
- penne
- crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup marinara
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. The pasta will drink some of the sauce as it sits.
Reheating
Warm in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water, tossing until the sausage is hot and the sauce loosens, about 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 660
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 72 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
Moderate · Stovetop
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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