Sausage Rigatoni Arrabbiata Recipe

1. Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add 12 oz rigatoni and cook according to package until al dente (usually 10–12 minutes). Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain rigatoni and set aside.

2. Brown the sausage

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 12 oz mild Italian sausage (removed from casings, broken into bite-size pieces) and cook, stirring and pressing pieces to brown evenly, about 6–8 minutes, until nicely caramelized. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a plate, leaving rendered fat in the pan.

3. Cook aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon butter if pan looks dry. Add the diced yellow onion (finely chopped) and cook until translucent, 4–5 minutes. Add minced garlic (4 cloves), the white parts of the scallions (reserve greens for garnish), crushed red pepper flakes (1 tsp) and black pepper (1 tsp). Cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.

4. Char and build tomato flavor

Add the halved roma tomatoes (2 cups) to the skillet cut side down. Let them sear for 2–3 minutes to get a slight char, then stir. Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly and mellows.

5. Simmer sauce

Stir in 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock, dried oregano (1 tsp) and optional sugar (1 tsp). Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently 6–8 minutes until tomatoes break down and sauce thickens slightly.

6. Return sausage

Return the browned sausage to the skillet and stir to combine. Simmer together 2–3 minutes to marry flavors.

7. Add cream and cheese

Stir in 1 cup heavy cream and 2 tablespoons butter. Bring to a gentle simmer (do not boil vigorously). Add 1 cup grated Parmesan and stir until melted and incorporated. Adjust salt to taste (~1 tsp). If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, to reach a silky, coat-the-pasta consistency.

8. Combine with pasta and mozzarella

Add the drained rigatoni and reserved pasta water as needed to the skillet. Toss gently to coat the pasta in the creamy arrabbiata sauce. Fold in torn fresh mozzarella (6 oz) so it softens and creates pockets of melty cheese, about 1–2 minutes. If necessary, heat very gently so mozzarella melts but does not overcook.

9. Plate the pasta and finish with sliced scallion greens (2 tbsp), chopped basil or parsley (2 tbsp optional), a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (1 tsp) and an extra sprinkling of grated Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately.