Italian-American · main

Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Rigatoni

Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Rigatoni reads umami 8.5, richness 7.4 and salinity 5.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 41 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 9.3 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.7 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.1 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.1 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 8.0 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.5 · Richness 7.4 · Salinity 5.4 · Allium 4.3 · Sweetness 3.9 · Herbaceous 3.8 · Fruity 2.6 · Funk & Ferment 2.5 · Heat 2.5 · Sourness 2.4 · Citrus 2.3 · Warm Spice 2.2 · Nutty 2.0 · Earthy 1.9 · Floral 1.8 · Bitterness 1.1

What's in it (13)

• olive oil — 41 g
• sweet italian sausage — 454 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• red chili flakes — 3 g
• bell red peppers — 680 g
• dry white wine — 118 g
• rigatoni pasta — 454 g
• salt — 5 g
• heavy cream — 237 g
• parmesan cheese — 114 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• basil — 15 g

Time & effort: about 41 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 179.8 kcal, 8 g protein, 7.3 g fat, 19.5 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously; keep it at a bare simmer while you build the sauce, then return it to a full boil in step 7.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it into small crumbles with a spoon, and cook until deeply browned and cooked through, 6-7 minutes; transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.
3. Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the onion, and a pinch of the kosher salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just turning golden at the edges, 6-8 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, then add the roasted red peppers and cook, stirring, until they soften further and release their juices, 3-4 minutes.
5. Pour in the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and simmer until reduced by about half, 3-4 minutes.
6. Transfer the pepper mixture to a blender (or use an immersion blender directly in the pan) and puree until smooth and silky; return it to the skillet if blended separately.
7. Return the pasta water to a full boil, add the rigatoni, and cook until al dente per package directions, about 11-12 minutes; reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
8. Stir the cream and half the Parmesan into the pureed sauce and simmer over medium heat until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes.
9. Return the browned sausage and drained rigatoni to the skillet with the sauce, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to loosen to a silky consistency; toss over medium heat until everything is coated, 1-2 minutes.
10. Season with the black pepper and additional salt to taste, then finish with the remaining Parmesan and torn basil and serve at once.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Baked Ziti with Sausage and Ricotta — Italian-American
• Chicken Sausage and Peppers Pasta — Italian-American
• Baked Gnocchi with Sausage and Tomato Cream — Italian-American
• Baked Tortellini in Creamy Tomato Sauce — Italian-American
• Rigatoni alla Vodka with Italian Sausage — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.