Rigatoni with Sweet Italian Sausage and Fennel
Rigatoni tossed with savory browned sausage, sautéed fennel, and a splash of tomato-cream sauce.
Recipe Author
Riff Kitchen@riffkitchen
Rigatoni with Sweet Italian Sausage and Fennel
Rigatoni tossed with savory browned sausage, sautéed fennel, and a splash of tomato-cream sauce.
By Riff KitchenOn Riff.kitchen, recipes start from what is already in your fridge. Add what you have, and it plans around whatever goes off first.
- 10 prep · 25 cook
- 35 min
- servings
- 4
- effort
- Easy
Chef's note
The combination of sweet fennel and savory pork creates a balanced, restaurant-quality meal in under 30 minutes.
Method
7 steps · tap one to tick it off
Tips
Slice the fennel thin and even. Thin, even slices soften and caramelize in the 6 to 8 minutes. Thick pieces stay crunchy in the sauce.
Save the fennel fronds. The feathery tops taste of mild anise. Chop a handful and scatter them over the pasta with the parmesan.
Reserve a mug of pasta water. A splash of the starchy water loosens the creamy sauce if it tightens while you toss the rigatoni in the skillet.
Swaps
No heavy cream? Half-and-half stirred in off the boil, or leave it out for a brighter tomato sauce.
No parmesan cheese? Pecorino Romano, a little less, since it is saltier.
No canned crushed tomatoes? Canned whole tomatoes crushed by hand, or strained tomatoes (passata).
Storage
Fridge: 3 to 4 days in a sealed container. The rigatoni absorbs the sauce, so add a splash of water when reheating.
Freezer: Not worth freezing with the cream in, since it can split as it thaws. Frozen before the cream, the sauce keeps 2 to 3 months.
Reheat: In a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water, stirring, until steaming hot (75°C in the center).
Fridge and reheating follow Illinois Extension; freezer times are for quality and follow the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as on what freezes and what does not.
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Chef's note
The combination of sweet fennel and savory pork creates a balanced, restaurant-quality meal in under 30 minutes.
Instructions
Follow the steps to perfection.
Tips
Slice the fennel thin and even. Thin, even slices soften and caramelize in the 6 to 8 minutes. Thick pieces stay crunchy in the sauce.
Save the fennel fronds. The feathery tops taste of mild anise. Chop a handful and scatter them over the pasta with the parmesan.
Reserve a mug of pasta water. A splash of the starchy water loosens the creamy sauce if it tightens while you toss the rigatoni in the skillet.
Swaps
No heavy cream? Half-and-half stirred in off the boil, or leave it out for a brighter tomato sauce.
No parmesan cheese? Pecorino Romano, a little less, since it is saltier.
No canned crushed tomatoes? Canned whole tomatoes crushed by hand, or strained tomatoes (passata).
Storage
Fridge: 3 to 4 days in a sealed container. The rigatoni absorbs the sauce, so add a splash of water when reheating.
Freezer: Not worth freezing with the cream in, since it can split as it thaws. Frozen before the cream, the sauce keeps 2 to 3 months.
Reheat: In a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water, stirring, until steaming hot (75°C in the center).
Fridge and reheating follow Illinois Extension; freezer times are for quality and follow the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as on what freezes and what does not.
Made it?
Tap a star to rate it.
Community Reviews 0
No reviews yet. Be the first to try this!
Riff Assistant
Ready to Remix