Rigatoni with Sausage and Peas

Creamy, delicious, and tomatoey rigatoni with sausage and peas! Top it off with fresh parmesan and red pepper flakes for a delicious dinner.

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Deep in the heart of the East Village in New York City, there's a magical little restaurant called Lavagna that has one of my favorite pasta dishes of all time.

Back when Kyle and I first got together almost six years ago, he was living in the East Village, and we couldn't resist popping into Lavagna at least once a month. And every single time, we would order their rigatoni with spicy sausage and peas.

After we moved to a different neighborhood in NYC, we decided to try recreating our favorite pasta at home, and it was the best decision ever. And now, I think our homemade version is even more delicious than the one from the restaurant.

I hope you're hungry because it's time to make some pasta!

Tips for Making This Pasta

Here are a few tips to get perfect pasta every time:

• Roughly chop up the sausage before cooking it. When making this recipe, I like to remove the casings from the sausage and roughly chop it before cooking it on the stove. This helps make sure the sausage cooks evenly!
• Once you've added all the ingredients, make sure to taste the sauce. After adding in the heavy cream and last knob of butter, I always taste the sauce to see if it needs more salt and pepper. Sometimes, I'll even add another splash of heavy cream if I'm feeling extra indulgent.
• Don't forget to add parmesan and red pepper flakes. Once the pasta has come together, make sure to top it off with freshly-grated parmesan and a healthy sprinkling of red pepper flakes for maximum flavor.

Common Questions About This Pasta

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Rigatoni with Sausage and Peas

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5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Leslie Jeon
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings

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Description

Creamy, delicious, and tomatoey rigatoni with sausage and peas! Top it off with fresh parmesan and red pepper flakes for a delicious dinner.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound rigatoni 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped 
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic 
• 1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed and roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 28 oz can San Marzano crushed tomatoes 
• 1 ½ cups frozen peas 
• ⅓ cup heavy cream  
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for topping
• Red pepper flakes, for topping
• Salt and pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Cook the pasta: Cook the rigatoni according to package directions in well-salted water. Drain pasta and set aside for later. 
2. Cook the sausage: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, deep pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic until soft and browned, about 5-7 minutes. Then, add in the sausage and cook until browned all the way through. 
3. Finish the sauce: Turn the heat down to medium and add in the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes, mixing well to incorporate. Use a wooden spoon to break down the tomatoes and create a sauce, then generously add salt and pepper to taste. Add in frozen peas and cook for about 3-5 minutes, or until the peas have cooked through. Finally, add in the heavy cream and remaining tablespoon of butter and mix well until fully heated up and incorporated. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper as needed. 
4. Assemble the pasta: Toss the sauce with the cooked pasta, then top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. 

Notes

• Recipe adapted from A Not-So-Secret Addiction. 
• Stored in an airtight container, the sauce should stay fresh for about 3-5 days in the fridge. Simply cook some fresh rigatoni when you want to enjoy the leftover sauce. 

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Sauté
• Cuisine: Italian