Description
This creamy tomato rigatoni pasta is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring a rich tomato sauce blended with butter, garlic, and heavy cream, served with perfectly cooked rigatoni pasta. Garnished with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley, it’s an ideal main course for a satisfying 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 Ingredients
- 1 pound dried rigatoni pasta
Garnishes (Optional)
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: Melt 3 tablespoons 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 the minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Simmer the tomatoes: Add the crushed tomatoes to the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes to let the flavors meld together.
- Cook the pasta: While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions to achieve al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and then drain the rigatoni.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Return the tomato sauce to medium heat. Stir in the heavy cream and reserved pasta water, then bring to a simmer. Add the drained rigatoni and gently stir until the pasta is well coated with the creamy sauce.
- Garnish and serve: Serve the pasta hot, garnished 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.
- Use gluten-free rigatoni pasta to make the dish gluten free.
- Heavy cream can be substituted with half-and-half for a lighter version, but the sauce will be less rich.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese offers the best flavor for garnish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
