Chicken Sausage Rigatoni

Overview

We consider pasta night a holiday—one that we like to celebrate at least once a week, if not more. If you agree, you’re in luck. This dish has it all: al dente rigatoni, sautéed bell pepper, and flavorful chicken sausage, all tossed in a mouthwatering, creamy pink sauce. Of course, the festivities wouldn’t be complete without a generous sprinkle of Parmesan. Now, let the carb celebrations commence!

This meal is inspired by HelloFresh, which we originally used to make this in the past.

• Serves: 6
• Prep Time: ~5 minutes
• Cook Time: ~20 minutes

Estimated Calories & Sources

Ingredient	Quantity	Calories	Source
Italian Chicken Sausage	27 oz	~1,470 kcal	FatSecret
Rigatoni Pasta	18 oz	~1,890 kcal	FatSecret
Red Bell Peppers	3 medium (~12 oz)	~100 kcal	FatSecret
Scallions	6 stalks (~3 oz)	~30 kcal	FatSecret
Tomato Paste	4.5 oz	~110 kcal	FatSecret
Cream Sauce Base	12 oz	~960 kcal	Estimated (varies slightly by brand)
Parmesan Cheese	¾ cup (~3 oz)	~330 kcal	FatSecret
Butter	3 tbsp (~1.5 oz)	~300 kcal	FatSecret
Olive Oil (for cooking)	1 tbsp	119 kcal	FatSecret
Italian Seasoning	3 tbsp	~30 kcal	Estimated
Sugar	3 tsp	48 kcal	FatSecret
Salt & Pepper	To taste	0 kcal	—
Total (for 6 servings)		~5,387 kcal
Per Serving		~898 kcal

Ingredients

Produce

• 3 red bell peppers
• 6 scallions

Pantry

• 1 tbsp fry seasoning
• 3 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 18 oz rigatoni pasta
• 4.5 oz tomato paste
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tsp sugar
• Cooking oil / olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Dairy

• 12 oz cream sauce base
• ¾ cup Parmesan cheese

Protein

• 27 oz Italian chicken sausage mix

Instructions

1. Prep the Produce:

   • Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.
   • Wash and dry produce.
   • Core, deseed, and dice bell peppers.
   • Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

2. Cook the Sausage & Peppers:

   • Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
   • Add bell peppers and cook until lightly browned and slightly softened, 3–4 minutes.
   • Add sausage and scallion whites; cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4–6 minutes.
   • Season with salt and pepper.

3. Cook the Pasta:

   • Once water is boiling, add rigatoni.
   • Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9–11 minutes.
   • Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

4. Make the Sauce Base:

   • Stir Italian seasoning, tomato paste, and 1 tsp sugar (2 tsp for 4 servings) into pan with sausage mixture.
   • Pour in ¼ cup water (⅓ cup for 4 servings). Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute.
   • Reduce heat to low.

5. Finish the Sauce:

   • Add cream sauce base to pan.
   • Stir in 1 tbsp butter (2 tbsp for 4 servings) until melted.
   • Season with salt and pepper.

6. Combine & Serve:

   • Add drained rigatoni to pan with sauce.
   • Toss to coat. If needed, stir in reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is creamy.
   • Divide pasta between bowls, top with Parmesan, and garnish with scallion greens.

💡 Notes

• For extra richness, stir in an additional knob of butter before serving.
• Swap rigatoni for penne or fusilli if preferred.
• Add red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.