Rigatoni with Italian Sausage, Mascarpone + Walnuts

This Rigatoni with Italian Sausage, Mascarpone + Walnuts is a rich, flavorful pasta recipe that's made with only 6 ingredients and can be on your table in under 30 minutes! Sweet Italian sausage gets browned and simmered with canned crushed tomatoes and garlic, then creamy Mascarpone cheese gets stirred in to make it rich, velvety and oh so creamy. It gets tossed with al dente pasta and finished with a shower of crunchy chopped walnuts. It might sound strange, but it's out of this world delicious.

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This recipe is a mash-up of two of the best pasta dishes I ate in Tuscany during my trip to Italy in 2015. It exemplifies the simplicity of great Italian cooking because it relies on high quality ingredients and basic techniques to produce perfectly balanced flavors and textures.

Why this recipe works

• Only 6 ingredients.
• Takes less than 30 minutes.
• Gluten-free adaptable.
• Great for entertaining.
• Great for busy weeknights.
• Beginner-level easy.
• Simple, unique and satisfying.

Essential Ingredients

• Sweet Italian Sausage - The quality of the sausage you use will make all the difference because it's the main flavor in the recipe. Most of the commercial Italian sausage sold at grocery stores is bland and unappealing. I am lucky to live near a butcher who makes phenomenal homemade Italian sausage, but not everyone is so lucky. It's worth seeking out the good stuff, and if you can't find it locally, consider buying some online.
• Mascarpone Cheese - This is also known as Italian cream cheese, although it is much more delicate than American cream cheese. It's not as thick or as salty or tangy and has a unique, but mild flavor. It makes the sauce rich and velvety and is essential to this recipe. You can substitute heavy cream if you can't find it, but it will lack the complexity that Mascarpone brings to the table (same with my wild mushroom risotto).
• Pasta - Rigatoni is my preferred pasta shape for this recipe, but you can substitute any other short pasta shape that you like. Look for pasta that's labeled as "bronze cut," which means it has a slightly rough texture that helps sauces cling better (and usually means its better quality).

Step by Step Instructions

1. Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring it up to a boil.

2. Add the sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Use a spatula to break it up into little bits as it cooks. When the sausage is browned, add the garlic cloves and cook for about a minute

3. Add the crushed tomatoes, lower the heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

4. Add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water, then drop in the pasta, give it a stir, and cook until al dente (follow package directions as time will vary with each brand). 

5. While the pasta cooks, stir the mascarpone into the tomato sauce until blended. Remove the garlic cloves and discard if desired (I always leave them in). 

6. Scoop out a cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta when it's ready, then add it to the pan with the sauce. Toss around for a few minutes until fully each piece of pasta is fully coated in sauce. Add more pasta water a little bit at a time to help loosen it up if the sauce is too thick. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

7. Sprinkle with the chopped walnuts, then serve immediately.

Tips for Success

• You don't want the walnuts to be deeply toasted for this dish. I like to perk them up in a 350 degree oven for ~5 minutes or so to make them extra crunchy and give them a little boost of flavor. But don't let them get browned.
• Follow package directions for your pasta, as all brands cook a little differently. Set a timer and taste it towards the end to make sure it's perfectly al dente.
• If you're planning to make this with a chick pea or lentil pasta, be sure to drain and rinse the pasta under warm running water to remove any excess starch before adding it to the sauce. Then use plain tap water rather than pasta cooking water to add to the sauce. It will have better flavor this way.
• Try to chop the walnuts as finely as possible without any big chunks for the optimal texture.

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Rigatoni with Italian Sausage, Mascarpone + Walnuts

This Rigatoni with Italian Sausage, Mascarpone + Walnuts is a rich, flavorful pasta recipe that can be on your table in under 30 minutes! Perfectly al dente Rigatoni pasta tossed in a velvety Mascarpone tomato sauce and finished with a shower of crunchy chopped walnuts. It might sound strange, but it's absolutely to die for. Only 6 ingredients required!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 985kcal

Author: Nicole Gaffney

Ingredients

• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage removed from casing
• 2 whole cloves garlic gently crushed with the side of a knife
• 1 ½ cups canned crushed tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste plus plenty of salt for the pasta water
• ½ lb Rigatoni or any other short shaped pasta * see note
• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
• ½ cup walnuts finely chopped

Instructions

1. Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring it up to a boil.
2. Add the sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Use a spatula to break it up into little bits as it cooks. When the sausage is browned, add the garlic cloves and cook for about a minute.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes, lower the heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
4. Add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water, then drop in the pasta, give it a stir, and cook until al dente (follow package directions as time will vary with each brand). 
5. While the pasta cooks, stir the mascarpone into the tomato sauce until blended. Remove the garlic cloves and discard if desired (I always leave them in). 
6. Scoop out a cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta when it's ready, then add it to the pan with the sauce. Toss around for a few minutes until fully each piece of pasta is fully coated in sauce. Add more pasta water a little bit at a time to help loosen it up if the sauce is too thick. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
7. Sprinkle with the chopped walnuts, then serve immediately.

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Notes

*This recipe works very well with chick pea and lentil pasta for a healthier, gluten free version. If using, be sure to rinse the pasta under warm water after draining and before adding to the sauce and use plain tap water in place of pasta water to add in.

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Nutrition

Calories: 985kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 72g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 984mg | Potassium: 750mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 992IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 4mg