Sausage Alfredo Rigatoni | 365 Days of Baking and Extra

You’ll also need 8 ounces of rigatoni pasta, which is about 1/2 of a box. You can also use penne pasta or any other tubular pasta. 

How to make Sausage Alfredo Rigatoni

You’ll have a delicious dinner ready in no time by following these easy steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare an 8 X 8-inch baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray.
2. Cook rigatoni according to package directions in a large pot of water, salted generously. Follow directions for “al dente,” then drain the salted water and set the cooked pasta aside. Drizzle a little olive oil over the rigatoni to keep it from sticking.
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion and minced garlic in olive oil until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
    Add sausage and heat until thoroughly cooked. Remove from heat and stir in basil, salt, and pepper to taste. Place sausage mixture into a large bowl and set it aside.

Roasted Garlic Alfredo Sauce

1. To prepare the Roasted Garlic Alfredo Sauce, remove the cloves of roasted garlic by gently squeezing them from the skins, then place them into a small bowl. Mash the cloves with a fork.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on low to medium heat. Add the cream and roasted garlic, and heat to very warm, but DO NOT boil. Lower heat and mix in the Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper, whisking constantly until the cheese has melted.
3. In a small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons of flour and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream until well combined. Pour this into the cheese sauce, stirring and heating until the mixture thickens. 
4. Pour the creamy sauce over the sausage and stir until well-coated. Add rigatoni and mix thoroughly.
5. Pour contents into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle shaved Parmesan cheese on top of the pasta. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned.

Baked Alfredo Rigatoni additions

If you want to add a little something more to your pasta, consider one of these great additions:

• Italian seasoning
• red pepper flakes
• chopped parsley
• sauteed vegetables- some favorites are bell peppers, cremini mushrooms, fresh spinach, olives, or zucchini

How to store leftover pasta

This pasta dish is great for leftovers! Store any leftover baked rigatoni by covering it tightly with aluminum foil and placing it in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3-4 days.

Can you make Sausage Alfredo Rigatoni ahead of time?

Yes, this pasta dish can be made up to 6 hours before baking and stored in the refrigerator. Follow the recipe up until the point where you place it in the oven. Instead, cover it with foil and place it in the refrigerator.

You may need to add a few extra minutes of cooking time to compensate for cooking a cold dish.

Other favorite pasta recipes

Pasta is one of my favorite things to make for dinner. Try one of these tasty meals next time:

Baked Stuffed Shells make a savory, filling meal that is full of flavor!

Pepperoni Pizza Pasta is another delicious casserole made with rigatoni, using all the flavors of your favorite pizza!

Spinach and Cheese Manicotti are crepes filled with a cheesy spinach mixture and smothered in your favorite pasta sauce. 

More ways to use sausage

I have so many fun recipes that have sausage as the star ingredient!

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