Ina Garten Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel

Ina Garten rigatoni with sausage and fennel is a hearty baked-style pasta made with sweet Italian sausage, fresh fennel and a creamy tomato sauce, ready in 55 minutes. This make-ahead weeknight dinner fits cold nights, dinner party menus, cozy Sunday suppers and holiday gatherings.

Let the sauce simmer the full 20 minutes until it thickens, because that reduction is what makes it cling to every tube of rigatoni. Rush it and you get a thin, watery sauce that slides right off the pasta.

Ina Garten calls this one of her heartiest dinners for cold weather, and she likes to assemble it a day ahead. That way it only needs a quick bake. Crushing whole fennel seeds into the sausage and fresh fennel also gives it a sweet licorice note that plain sausage pasta never gets.

Source: Cooking for Jeffrey (2016)

Ina Garten Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

820

kcal

Browned sausage and soft fennel melt into a creamy, tomato-kissed sauce that coats every ridge of the rigatoni. A final 5 minutes over low heat lets the pasta soak up the sauce before the parsley and Parmesan go in.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
  

• 3 cups chopped fennel (1 large bulb)
  

• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
  

• 1 1/4 pounds sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
  

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
  

• 1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle
  

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

• 1 cup dry white wine
  

• 1 cup heavy cream
  

• 2/3 cup half-and-half
  

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  

• 1 pound rigatoni, such as De Cecco
  

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  

• 1 cup freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, divided
  

Directions

• Cook the vegetables: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 3 cups chopped fennel and 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion, then sauté for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn tender.
• Brown the sausage: Add 1 1/4 pounds sweet Italian sausage with the casings removed. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, crumbling it with a fork, until it's nicely browned.
• Add the seasonings: Stir in 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 1 minute so the garlic and spices turn fragrant.
• Build the sauce: Pour in 1 cup white wine and bring it to a boil, then add 1 cup heavy cream, 2/3 cup half-and-half and 2 tablespoons tomato paste. Bring it back to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
• Boil the pasta: While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Cook 1 pound rigatoni according to the package directions, then drain.
• Combine and finish: Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce and stir to coat. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes so the pasta absorbs the sauce. Then take the pot off the heat and stir in 1/2 cup chopped parsley and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
• Serve: Spoon the pasta hot into shallow bowls. Put the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on the table so everyone can add more.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO 5-quart stainless steel colander, OXO wooden spoon set, Parmigiano Reggiano wedges, aged 24 months. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make this rigatoni ahead of time?

Yes, and Ina Garten likes it that way. Spoon the finished pasta into gratin dishes, sprinkle with Parmesan and refrigerate for up to a day, then bake for 20 minutes at 375°F.

Can I use hot Italian sausage instead of sweet?

You can, and it gives the dish a spicier kick. I'd cut the red pepper flakes in half, since the cream sauce already mellows the heat only a little.

What can I use instead of white wine?

Chicken stock works as a swap, since it still gives the sauce liquid to reduce. You lose a little of the bright acidity, so a squeeze of lemon at the end helps.

Which pasta shapes work besides rigatoni?

Penne or ziti are the closest matches because their tubes also trap the sauce. Cook whichever you pick to the package time, since the final 5 minutes in the sauce finishes it.

What's the most common mistake with this dish?

Cutting the simmer short is the big one, because a thin sauce won't coat the pasta. Overcooking the rigatoni in the water is the other, since it keeps softening in the sauce.