Italian-American · main

Spicy Sausage Rigatoni

Spicy Sausage Rigatoni reads umami 6.7, richness 5.8 and salinity 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 46 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.4 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.6 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.6 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.0 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.7 · Richness 5.8 · Salinity 4.8 · Allium 4.4 · Herbaceous 3.6 · Fruity 2.8 · Sourness 2.8 · Sweetness 2.6 · Funk & Ferment 2.6 · Citrus 2.5 · Heat 2.2 · Floral 2.0 · Nutty 1.8 · Earthy 1.7 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Bitterness 1.1 · Smoke 1.1

What's in it (13)

• rigatoni pasta — 454 g
• olive oil — 14 g
• hot italian sausage — 454 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• red chili flakes — 5 g
• dry white wine — 118 g
• tomatoes — 794 g
• heavy cream — 118 g
• parmesan cheese — 57 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• basil — 15 g

Time & effort: about 46 min (45 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 157.8 kcal, 7.2 g protein, 5.1 g fat, 19.7 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 well-salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until al dente, about 11 minutes, then scoop out 1 cup pasta water and drain the pasta.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until deeply browned and no longer pink, 6-8 minutes.
3. Add the onion to the skillet with the sausage; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 4-5 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Pour in the white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan; simmer until reduced by about half, 2-3 minutes.
6. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 12-15 minutes.
7. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer until the sauce turns glossy and coats the back of a spoon, 3-4 minutes.
8. Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce along with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water; toss over medium heat until every piece is coated, adding more pasta water a splash at a time if the sauce looks tight, 1-2 minutes.
9. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan, kosher salt, black pepper, and basil until the cheese melts into the sauce and clings to the pasta.
10. Divide among bowls and finish with more Parmesan and torn basil.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Nduja-Style Rigatoni with Whipped Ricotta — Italian
• Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta — Italian-American
• Turkey Bolognese with Rigatoni — Italian-American
• Sausage and Peppers — Italian-American
• Spicy Vodka Rigatoni with Burrata — 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.