Description
This creamy tomato rigatoni pasta recipe features a rich, flavorful tomato sauce blended with butter, garlic, onion, and heavy cream. Perfectly cooked rigatoni pasta is tossed in this luscious sauce and finished with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley for a comforting Italian-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Pasta
- 1 pound dried rigatoni pasta
Garnish (optional)
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: Melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Simmer the tomatoes: Add the crushed tomatoes to the pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld together, about 20 minutes.
- Cook the pasta: While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions for al dente texture. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Return the tomato sauce to medium heat. Stir in the heavy cream and reserved pasta water and bring back to a gentle simmer. Gently stir in the cooked rigatoni pasta until well coated with the creamy tomato sauce.
- Garnish and serve: Serve the creamy tomato rigatoni topped with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- To store leftovers, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- For a spicier kick, increase the red pepper flakes or add fresh chili.
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter version, though the sauce will be less rich.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten free.
- Fresh parsley can be replaced with basil or oregano according to preference.
- Reserve some pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if it becomes too thick.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
