Creamy Parmesan Sausage Rigatoni

Pasta and Italian sausage come together in a flavor-packed parmesan cream sauce in this homemade but EASY weeknight meal.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. JUMP TO THE RECIPE
2. WHAT BRAND ITALIAN SAUSAGE IS BEST?
3. SWEET, HOT OR MILD?
4. MORE ITALIAN SAUSAGE RECIPES I LOVE

For a Southern gal, I sure do like me some Italian sausage. I just heard my daddy's voice pronouncing it EYE-talian in my head. He liked it too!

I just like sausage, period. I'll pick sausage over bacon at breakfast, and sausage over pepperoni on pizza every time. And, other than breakfast sausage, Italian sausage is about the only fresh sausage out there you can use to make supper with.

I've experimented a few times with bratwurst but haven't landed on a great recipe yet. I'm still trying, though so don't count me out!

WHAT BRAND ITALIAN SAUSAGE IS BEST?

For me, texture is almost as important as flavor. I like sausage that is tender but can be cooked up crispy without getting tough. In my experience as a sausage-loving connoisseur, Johnsonville Italian sausage is my favorite. The Publix store brand is great too (it tastes the same to me).

It's hard to find but Jimmy Dean makes a 1-pound pack of Italian sausage that is excellent too! It's sold alongside their traditional breakfast sausage in the same type of packaging. 

I don't want to get sued so I won't tell you which, but there is one brand I really DON'T like. It can often be found at Sam's Club (starts with a "P" and ends with an "O"). The texture is just too tough for me. It's almost like they were thinking about curing it and changed their minds.

SWEET, HOT OR MILD?

I love them all and use them interchangeably for the most part. 

The only time I don't use Sweet is when I'm making something that is mega-heavy on condensed tomatoes (lots of tomato paste or even tomato soup) because the condensed tomatoes will already have plenty of sweetness.

Mild and Hot taste almost identical other than the added heat from red pepper flakes in the Hot.

HOW TO MAKE CREAMY PARMESAN SAUSAGE RIGATONI

The full recipe card is down below but I'll walk you through how simple this is to make!

1. Get pasta cooking. While the water is coming to a boil and pasta cooks, cook the sausage and make the sauce.
2. Brown sausage, add tomatoes and spices then cook until liquid from tomatoes cooks down.
3. Stir in cream then cook until it thickens to a sauce.
4. Add parmesan and pasta then cook everything together until the sauce really clings to the pasta.
5. That's it! Dig in!

A FEW RECIPE NOTES

• You'll want to serve this as soon as it's ready. If it rests too long, the pasta will really soak up the sauce.

• If you're not able to serve immediately, IT'S OK!! All you need to do is stir in more cream (you'll likely have 1/2 cup to spare since you'll be working with at least a pint).

• Sweet, mild or hot Italian sausage can be used (I like Hot best!).

• Feel free to add kale or spinach! Add kale halfway through reducing the cream sauce, add spinach when adding the pasta.

• Don't panic if it takes a while for the cream to thicken. It will get there, I promise! So long as you're using a nice, wide skillet (12-14 inches wide) and using full fat cream, it will thicken just fine.

MORE ITALIAN SAUSAGE RECIPES I LOVE

NO-BOIL, NO-BROWN ITALIAN SAUSAGE & PASTA BAKE - A one-dish recipe using uncooked pasta, raw sausage, pantry ingredients and mozzarella that bakes into an easy Italian casserole. 

SPICY SAUSAGE & KALE RIGATONI - A rustic, 30-minute pasta recipe of Italian sausage and kale with a simple but unbelievably delicious sauce made with pasta water, butter and parmesan cheese. 

HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI WITH MEAT SAUCE - A hearty classic pasta sauce made from scratch with perfect for feeding a crowd or stocking your freezer with an easy weeknight meal.

3-INGREDIENT SAUSAGE GOULASH - A super simple 20-minute meal using Italian sausage, macaroni noodles and tomato soup to make the easiest American-style EVER. 

LENTIL SOUP WITH SAUSAGE - A simple, hearty lentil soup with spicy Italian sausage, garlic and herbs much like Carrabba’s Spicy Sausage and Lentil Soup copycat recipe. 

SAUSAGE & CHEESE BAKED MANICOTTI - An easy recipe for classic, meaty baked manicotti stuffed with Italian sausage and cheese smothered in jarred sauce and mozzarella. 

Recipe for Creamy Parmesan Sausage Rigatoni

creamy, cream, italian sausage, parmesan, pasta, noodles, rigatoni, sauce, tomato, tomatoes, easy, weeknight, best, tiktok, supper, dinner, 30 minutes, 30-min meal

dinner

Italian

Yield: 6 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Creamy Parmesan Sausage Rigatoni

Pasta and Italian sausage come together in a flavor-packed parmesan cream sauce in this homemade but EASY weeknight meal.

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min

Ingredients

• 1.25 lbs Italian sausage
• 12 oz. rigatoni pasta (uncooked)
• 1 15-oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Cook pasta in liberally salted water 1 MINUTE LESS than manufacturer's instructions for al dente preparation then drain well. 12 oz. rigatoni
2. Meanwhile, remove casings from sausage (if applicable) then cook and crumble sausage in a large skillet (at least 12-inches wide) until nicely browned. Do not drain. 1.25 lbs sausage
3. Add tomatoes (with juice), oregano and remaining seasonings to skillet then bring to a boil and continue cooking until liquid has reduced almost completely (about 3-4 minutes). You just want to see a little thick, red sauce in the bottom of the skillet. 1 can tomatoes, 1 tsp each oregano & garlic, 1/2 tsp each red pepper flakes, pepper & salt
4. Stir in cream then bring to a bubbling simmer over medium-high heat. Continue cooking 8-10 minutes or sauce is glossy and coats the back of a spoon (we're looking for a thinner sauce, not anything as thick as alfredo). 1.5 c. cream
5. Stir in parmesan cheese until smooth. 1 c. parmesan
6. Gently fold in cooked rigatoni then cook for 1-3 minutes or until pasta is well coated and sauce is sticking nicely to the pasta.
7. Top with additional parmesan cheese if desired then serve immediately.

Notes

• Stir in additional heavy cream if sauce thickens too much or pasta soaks up more of the sauce than you'd like. 
• Use sweet, mild or hot Italian sausage.
• Feel free to add kale or spinach! Add kale halfway through reducing the cream sauce, add spinach when adding the pasta.
• Don't panic if it takes a while for the cream to thicken. It will get there, I promise! So long as you're using a nice, wide skillet (12-14 inches wide) and using full fat cream, it will thicken just fine.
• 12-oz uncooked rigatoni is about 4 heaping cups.
• Any bite-sized pasta works great with this recipe!

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2025/07/creamy-parmesan-sausage-rigatoni.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2025

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Italian Sausage & Rice Skillet Meal

A 30-minute meal with hearty sausage cooked with rice, tomatoes and Italian spices finished with fresh spinach and parmesan cheese.

JUMP TO RECIPE

One of my very favorite recipes is one that surprises a lot of people. I guess because it's not "southern" food but here's the thing about us Southerners... we don't just eat fried chicken and biscuits!

The dish I'm talking about is Mediterranean Chickpea Rice. It's a one-pan wonder with rice and garbanzo beans cooked with bacon, tomatoes, Mediterranean herbs and spices and I could eat it by the bucket! 

I love it so much I decided to make a similar recipe with Italian sausage and spinach! I left out the chickpeas, changed up the spices and hit it with some freshly grated parmesan at the end and it is spectacular!

It makes sense to me that I would like both of these recipes because they have one major thing in common with my favorite kind of food: RICE!

I've said this before, but my neck of the South leans toward the Lowcountry (the area roughly between and around Charleston and Savannah) so we eat a ton of rice. Way more so than potatoes or pasta.

Both this recipe and the Mediterranean version are cooked much like some of our Southern favorites like Dirty Rice and Red Rice. The flavors are different but they all start with seasoned meat that produces a lot of pan drippings and aromatics like celery, onions and garlic.

A FEW COOKING NOTES:

1. Use fresh baby spinach leaves, chopped fresh spinach, or frozen chopped spinach (or you can leave it out all together).
2. Fresh kale can used in place of spinach if you prefer.
3. I almost always use hot Italian sausage but mild is great too. I've never tried this with sweet Italian sausage as I think the flavors may not play well together.
4. It's important to leave the lid on tight while cooking to ensure the rice cooks properly. If things look a little dry 15 minutes in, stir in 1/2 cup water.

MORE MAIN DISH RICE RECIPES TO TRY

CHARLESTON RED RICE - A Lowcountry recipe made from rice cooked with bacon and a tomato broth seasoned with peppers and onions perfected by the Gullah and Geechee. 

BETTER-THAN-BOJANGLES DIRTY RICE - A copycat recipe for Bojangles iconic Cajun dirty rice, made with sausage and a favorite throughout the Southeast. 

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKPEA RICE - A hearty rice recipe with chickpeas (garbanzo beans) flavored with bacon, tomatoes, onion and garlic perfect served on the side or as a main dish that easily converts to a meatless meal. 

CAROLINA CHICKEN BOG - A one-pot recipe of rice, chicken and smoked sausage cooked in a flavorful stock made from slow-cooked chicken. 

HIBACHI CHICKEN & RICE SKILLET MEAL - A one-pan family-sized meal with hibachi chicken and rice that uses everyday ingredients and way less expensive than take-out hibachi bowls. 

Recipe for Italian Sausage Rice Skillet Meal

Italian Sausage & Rice Skillet Meal

Yield: 6 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min

A 30-minute meal with hearty sausage cooked with rice, tomatoes and Italian spices finished with fresh spinach and parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

• 1.25 lbs Italian Sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 cup extra long-grain white rice
• 1 15-oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 cups spinach (see notes)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Remove casings from sausage (if applicable) then add to a wide, shallow pan or large skillet (choose a pan that has a tight-fitting lid). Add onions then cook over medium-high heat, breaking up sausage while cooking. Cook until sausage is nicely browned and cooked through. 1.25 lbs sausage, 1 onion, chopped
2. Add garlic then continue cooking 2-3 minutes or until garlic is fragrant. 1 Tbsp minced garlic
3. Add rice, tomatoes (undrained – with juice), broth, salt, pepper and oregano. Increase heat to high then bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. 1 c. rice, 1 can tomatoes, 2 c. broth, 1 tsp each salt, pepper and oregano
4. Reduce heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid then cook for 20-25 minutes or until rice is done. Stir once or twice with a fork to ensure the rice isn’t sticking to the bottom.
5. Stir in spinach. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top then cover with lid and allow dish to rest 5-10 minutes before serving. 2 c. spinach, 1/2 c. parmesan

Notes

• Use fresh baby spinach leaves, chopped fresh spinach, or frozen chopped spinach (or you can leave it out all together).
• Fresh kale can used in place of spinach if you prefer.
• I almost always use hot Italian sausage but mild is great too. I've never tried this with sweet Italian sausage as I think the flavors may not play well together.
• It's important to leave the lid on tight while cooking to ensure the rice cooks properly. If things look a little dry 15 minutes in, stir in 1/2 cup water.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2024/12/italian-sausage-rice-skillet-meal.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2024

italian, sausage, rice, spinach, skillet, meal, dinner, 30 minute, one pan, easy, parmesan, homemade, best

dinner

Italian

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Easy Cheesy Parmesan Orzo

A simple no-fail side dish recipe with orzo pasta cooked in a parmesan cream sauce that comes together in minutes and cooks perfectly every time.

JUMP TO RECIPE

Anyone who’s been on the blog much knows how much I LOVE rice. You may also know my Canadian husband does not share my passion for it and gets a little disgruntled that I cook it so much more than other starchy sides like potatoes and pasta.

I had some spicy Italian sausage to throw on the grill for supper the other day and wasn’t sure what else I was going to serve with it when I remembered I had a box of orzo.

I’d made one of my favorite Mediterranean recipes to share with y’all next week – Spicy Orzo with Chickpeas – and decided to whip up some cheesy orzo which would make everybody happy because it’s PASTA that eats a lot like RICE.

Holla!

I’d seen Rachel Ray make something like this when she had that 30-Minute Meals show and I used to make it a lot when I was single 100 years ago.

Then I kinda forgot about it. 100 years is a long time.

Since it’s definitely got an Italian vibe with the parmesan and garlic AND because it’s one of the quickest, easiest homemade side dish recipes on earth, I knew it would be perfect with the simple grilled Italian sausage.

I whipped up this batch while I was sautéing some onions and peppers to go with the sausages and couldn’t believe I’d never made this for my family.

I mean, it’s SO EASY and it’s 100% HOMEMADE and everybody loves it because it’s SO GOOD.

I can’t count how many times I’ve reached for one of those instant pasta side dish packets with the powdered whatever in the bottom on a busy weeknight and the whole time I could have been making this. UGH.

NOTES ABOUT MAKING THIS RECIPE FOR EASY CHEESY PARMESAN ORZO

• Sautéing the orzo and garlic in butter for a few minutes before cooking really amps of the flavor of the pasta, giving it a toasted, almost nutty flavor and mellows out the garlic.
• Feel free to use vegetable or beef broth instead of chicken.
• Broth is best but if you’re in a pinch, you can use water with these changes: use half water and half milk (1.5 cups of each), definitely taste for salt as you’ll need more than if using broth.
• DO NOT add the parmesan until you’re ready to serve as it will cause the creamy sauce to thicken a lot after it starts to cool.
• If a lot of steam escapes while the orzo is cooking, you may need to add more liquid (broth, milk or even water is fine). We want the orzo to be a little saucy and creamy, not dry or fluffy like rice.

OTHER QUICK & EASY SIDE DISH RECIPES

Walk-Away Noodles - Throw everything in the pot and walk away for perfectly cooked, savory, saucy hot buttered noodles that are the perfect side dish recipe for any meal! 

Garlic Butter & Mushroom Rice - Fresh mushrooms sautéed with garlic and butter cooked with rice on the stovetop in a savory, beefy stock for a quick and easy rice pilaf side dish. 

Polish Noodles with Sour Cream & Onions - A simple homemade side dish recipe with egg noodles, sauteed onions and a simple sour cream sauce very much like Beef Stroganoff or Noodles Romanoff. 

Classic Rice Almondine - A timeless side dish recipe with crunchy toasted almonds stirred into tender, savory rice made with buttery sauteed onions and garlic. 

Recipe for Easy Cheesy Parmesan Orzo

Easy Cheesy Parmesan Orzo

Yield: 6 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 20 Min

A simple no-fail side dish recipe with orzo pasta cooked in a parmesan cream sauce that comes together in minutes and cooks perfectly every time.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a 2-quart shallow saucepan over medium heat. Add orzo then gently stir and cook for 3 minutes or until a few pieces of orzo start to darken to a toasted color.
2. Add garlic then continue cooking and gently stirring for 2 minutes.
3. Add chicken broth and milk, season with salt and pepper to taste then bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until orzo is al dente. Stir frequently to ensure the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom.
4. Remove orzo from heat. When ready to serve, stir in parmesan cheese. Do not add parmesan until ready to serve.

Notes

• Sautéing the orzo and garlic in butter for a few minutes before cooking really amps of the flavor of the pasta, giving it a toasted, almost nutty flavor and mellows out the garlic.
• Feel free to use vegetable or beef broth instead of chicken.
• Broth is best but if you’re in a pinch, you can use water with these changes: use half water and half milk (1.5 cups of each), definitely taste for salt as you’ll need more than if using broth.
• DO NOT add the parmesan until you’re ready to serve as it will cause the creamy sauce to thicken a lot after it starts to cool.
• If a lot of steam escapes while the orzo is cooking, you may need to add more liquid (broth, milk or even water is fine). We want the orzo to be a little saucy and creamy, not dry or fluffy like rice.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2023/11/easy-cheesy-parmesan-orzo.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2023

orzo, pasta, cheesy, parmesan, garlic, cream, creamy, milk, cheese, easy, side dish, rachel ray, fool proof, best

side dish

American

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Spicy Sausage & Kale Rigatoni

A rustic, 30-minute pasta recipe of Italian sausage and kale with a simple but unbelievably delicious sauce made with pasta water, butter and parmesan cheese.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. JUMP TO THE RECIPE
2. WHY DOES PASTA WATER MAKE BETTER SAUCE?
3. 8 NOTES ON MAKING THE RECIPE

OK, like, this looks pretty good, right? Maybe not OMGGETINMYBELLY drool-inducing good, but it looks alright, right?

Well, lemme tell y’all something… it tastes so much better than it looks!! This recipe is deceivingly delicious and it might be my new favorite thing right now. OK, it definitely is my new favorite thing right now.

I’m already plotting to make it with chicken sausage and mushrooms. And then maybe sweet Italian sausage and broccolini. And then maybe back to this version again.

And guess what?? It’s so easy and DONE in 30 minutes. I’m talking, turn the stove on then 30 minutes later you’re filling your face at the table.

You can’t really tell it in the pics but this is way saucier than it looks. The salty, starchy pasta water emulsifies with the butter, then the parmesan cheese melts right into it making a silky, glossy sauce that clings to the pasta.

Serve with hot crusty bread and a simple salad. When I'm in a hurry but still want to put something fresh on the table, I very often toss together tomatoes, onion and cucumber with a splash of mild vinegar (rice wine, apple cider or red wine vinegars are great) then sprinkle with coarse-grain salt.

WHY DOES PASTA WATER MAKE A BETTER SAUCE?

The short answer? Science.

When prepared correctly, the starch in the hot pasta water expands and bursts which binds it to the fat present (butter, olive oil, rendered pan drippings, etc.). This emulsifies the combo on a molecular level without having to apply friction. 

You know what else is starchy? The pasta itself. So when you add the hot pasta to the pan, the sauce literally binds itself to the pasta. No watery puddles underneath or fat separated on top of the pasta here!

HOW DO YOU MAKE SILKY, GLOSSY SAUCE FROM PASTA WATER?

There is a simple, but specific order to follow to turn pasta water into a rich, glossy sauce: hot pasta water then fat (typically butter or olive oil) then cheese (if using) then pasta.

Original, authentic, Italian pasta alfredo doesn’t include cream. It is simply pasta water brought to a simmer with butter slowly added until melted and incorporated, then parmesan cheese stirred in the same way as the butter, then pasta is added to cook a minute or two to bind the sauce to the pasta.

So, to reiterate (because it has to go in this order) it’s:

1. START WITH HOT SALTY, STARCHY PASTA WATER
2. STIR IN FAT (USUALLY BUTTER OR OLIVE OIL)
3. STIR IN CHEESE (IF USING)
4. ADD HOT PASTA THEN COOK IN THE SAUCE A COUPLE MINUTES

8 NOTES ON COOKING SPICY SAUSAGE & KALE RIGATONI

1. This doesn’t have to be spicy. Simply use regular or sweet Italian sausage, omit the red pepper flakes, and reduce black pepper to 1/4 teaspoon.
2. Do measure the water and salt. Too much water means less starch. Too much salt means the sauce will be too salty. Speaking of… I actually use 2 teaspoons of salt in this and think it’s perfect but I tend to like things on the salty side so I wrote the recipe for 1.5 teaspoons.
3. Grate your own parmesan cheese. This isn’t one of those recipes you can use the stuff in the green can. Or even the preshredded cheese in a pouch or plastic container. 4 ounces of parmesan yields about 2 cups finely shredded cheese.
4. The only downside to this type of pasta recipe is that it is BEST when first prepared. Most pasta dishes get better the longer they rest and some are even better the next day. This is not one of those. 

5. If you think you will have leftovers or will not be able to serve this immediately after preparing, save more pasta water, heat it to almost boiling in the microwave, then stir into pasta before reheating. Use enough to loosen the pasta and just cover the bottom of the pan then heat over medium heat until bubbly.
6. You do not have to use kale. You can omit it or use fresh spinach.
7. Blanched or sauteed broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, red peppers, broccolini and/or onions would all be great additions. 
8. You can use any rigid, tubular pasta in this recipe.

A FEW MORE ITALIAN RECIPES I LOVE!

ITALIAN SAUSAGE & CHEESE BAKED MANICOTTI - An easy recipe for classic, meaty baked manicotti stuffed with Italian sausage and cheese. 

CHICKEN SCAMPI WITH GARLIC PARMESAN RICE - The ORIGINAL quick and easy skillet meal recipe for tender chicken scampi over perfectly cooked buttery, garlic parmesan rice. 

HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI WITH MEAT SAUCE - A hearty classic Italian pasta sauce recipe made from scratch with sausage and ground beef. 

FAMILY-STYLE CHICKEN PARMESAN - A tried-and-true recipe for crispy breaded chicken cutlets topped with gooey melted mozzarella served family-style for easier prep. 

SAUSAGE & SPINACH STUFFED SHELLS WITH GARLIC CREAM SAUCE - Stuffed pasta shells with Italian sausage, spinach and mozzarella topped with an easy garlic cream sauce. 

CLASSIC CHICKEN CACCIATORE - A simple, rustic recipe for chicken slowly braised in an easy Italian-style tomato sauce with onions and peppers served over pasta.

Recipe for Spicy Sausage Kale Rigatoni Pasta

Spicy Sausage & Kale Rigatoni

Yield: 8 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min

A rustic, EASY pasta dish of Italian sausage and kale with a simple but unbelievably delicious sauce made with pasta water, butter and parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

• 2.5 quarts water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups (12-oz) rigatoni pasta, uncooked
• 1.25 lbs spicy Italian sausage
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups pasta water
• 1/2 cup real butter (1 stick)
• 8 cups chopped kale
• 2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided

Instructions

1. Bring water and salt to a full rolling boil. 2.5 quarts water, 2 tsp salt
2. While water is heating, cook and crumble sausage over medium-high heat in a very large skillet until browned and crispy (be careful not to let the pan burn). Do not drain. 1.25 lbs spicy Italian sausage, casings removed if applicable
3. Reduce heat to low then add garlic, red pepper and black pepper. Continue cooking for 1 minute then turn off heat. 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste), 1/2 tsp black pepper
4. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than manufacturer’s instructions for al dente preparation. Remove from heat then ladle out 2 cups hot pasta water. 4 cups uncooked rigatoni pasta
5. Add hot pasta water to sausage then bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, add butter one tablespoon at a time then cook and stir for 2 minutes or until sauce is glossy. 1/2 cup butter
6. Drain pasta.
7. Sprinkle 1.5 cups parmesan cheese evenly into skillet then stir until well combined.
8. Add drained pasta to skillet. Continue cooking and gently stirring for 2 minutes.
9. Stir in kale. 8 cups chopped kale
10. Top with remaining 1/2 cup parmesan cheese then serve immediately.

Notes

• Feel free to use a large stock pot or dutch oven to cook the sausage and assemble the recipe if you don't have a skillet big enough to accommodate everything.
• This doesn’t have to be spicy. Simply use regular or sweet Italian sausage, omit the red pepper flakes, and reduce black pepper to 1/4 teaspoon.
• DO measure the water and salt. Too much water means less starch. Too much salt means the sauce will be too salty.
• Grate your own parmesan cheese. This isn’t one of those recipes you can use the stuff in the green can. Or even the preshredded cheese in a pouch or plastic container. 4 ounces of parmesan yields about 2 cups finely shredded cheese.
• You do not have to use kale. You can omit it or use fresh spinach.
• Blanched or sauteed broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, red peppers, broccolini and/or onions would all be great additions. 
• You can use any rigid, tubular pasta in this recipe.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2023/02/spicy-sausage-kale-rigatoni.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2023

30 minute, quick, easy, italian, sausage, kale, pasta water, pasta, rigatoni, ziti, sauce, parmesan, how, why, recipe, best, authentic

supper, dinner, pasta

Italian

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