creamy rigatoni w/ italian sausage
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Creamy Rigatoni w/ Italian Sausage

Hello Friends! I’m excited to share a recipe today for Creamy Rigatoni w/ Italian Sausage. The cream sauce in this dish is an enlightened version that won’t expand your waistline, but still tastes rich and decadent.

Pasta is the ultimate comfort food. Growing up in an Italian family, we ate a lot of pasta and pasta is so versatile and great for a busy weeknight. When you work full time, the last thing you want to do when you get home is make a really involved meal.  This recipe for Creamy Rigatoni w/ Italian Sausage comes together quickly and will please even picky eaters.

Here are some links to other pasta dishes on the blog:

The ingredients for this dish are inexpensive and you can easily double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd. Invite some friends over for game night and feed them this hearty pasta dish!

[tweetthis]Feed a crowd with this delicious and easy pasta #recipe, perfect for weeknight cooking.[/tweetthis]

Begin by browning mild Italian Sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage until there is no pink in the middle.

creamy rigatoni italian sausage

Remove the sausage from the pan and drain the fat on a paper towel lined plate.

While the sausage is cooking, chop up the onions and mushrooms. Baby bella mushrooms pair really well with Italian sausage, but use any mushrooms you like.

creamy rigatoni italian sausage

Add the garlic and onions to the pan and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are tender. You may need to add a little olive oil to the pan, depending on how much fat the sausage renders.

creamy rigatoni italian sausage

Next, remove the mushroom and onion mixture from the pan and add one 8 oz package of Neufchatel cheese and break it up with a spoon. Neufchatel cheese tastes very similar to cream cheese, but it is lower in calories. Once it starts to melt, add low sodium chicken broth. Heat until bubbles start to form then add the 3 cheese blend.

creamy rigatoni italian sausage

Doesn’t that resemble a rich cream sauce filled with butter and real cream? You can create a rich tasting, creamy sauce without the high calorie count. And, you don’t have to sacrifice flavor!

Once the cream sauce comes together, add the sausage, mushrooms and onions back into the pan. Drain the Rigatoni and add it to the same pan and stir until everything is combined.

creamy rigatoni italian sausage

Garnish with fresh, chopped parsley. Fresh herbs will brighten any dish and parsley pairs really well with this Creamy Rigatoni w/ Italian Sausage. Leftovers of this dish are equally as good, so make plenty of extra.

Your family is going to love this recipe! Please let me know how you like it by leaving a comment below. Be sure to tag #ketchumkitchen on social media. Be sure to subscribe to my email list to receive new recipes in your mailbox.

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2 Comments

  1. This looks and sounds wonderful, honey! For those who need gluten free there are many GF pastas to choose from.

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