Italian Sausage Rigatoni

We love a good pasta dish here in my house so this one has always been a standby for days when I don't have much time to be in the kitchen.

I'm in the middle of unpacking our last box and being able to sigh a sigh of relief and be done, so while I was doing that, I threw this quick meal together.

Trust me, you probably have all the ingredients already on hand and before you know it, you can serve up a dish that will have everyone smacking their lips.

Let me tell you, my kids are not fans of peppers of any kind, yellow, green or red, orange, doesn't matter, if they see it in their food they crinkle their noses, they remove every last piece and if I'm lucky they'll still eat it.  This dish has red pepper and they don't say ONE word, they devour it and tell me it's delicious.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE RIGATONI

Credit: Johnsonville

1 pkg. (19.76 oz.) Johnsonville® Italian Mild Sausage Links
1 pkg. (1 lb.) rigatoni pasta
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lg. sweet red pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp. Italian parsley, chopped
1 jar (26 oz.) of your favorite pasta sauce
Shredded cheese, your choice (this is optional, I add it but you don't have to )


Slice sausage links into 1 inch chunks.

  Slice and dice the red peppers

and onions.  Add Sausage, red pepper, onions and garlic to the skillet.  Drizzle the olive oil over and stir well.

Cook rigatoni according to package directions, drain and set aside. 

I'm using my new Pasta Boat, decided to give it a try and really like it.

Cook for a few minutes until vegetables are tender and sausage is browned.  Stir in pasta sauce; heat through.

Pour rigatoni into a casserole dish, pour the meat sauce over and stir well to combine.  Cover with shredded cheese and pop in the broiler for a minute or two to melt the cheese. 

Serve immediately.