Italian Sausage & Fresh Rigatoni Pasta
with Lemon-Parmesan Cream Sauce, Bell Peppers & Grape Tomatoes
- Milk
- Eggs
- Wheat
Savory Italian sausage meets vibrant bell peppers and grape tomatoes in a lemon-kissed Parmesan cream sauce that's pure velvet. Fresh rigatoni bathes in this luxurious blend while bright lemon zest cuts through the richness. Ready in under 30 minutes, this dish transforms weeknight dinners into something spectacular. Each bite delivers tender pasta embracing robust sausage in perfect harmony.
Ingredients
1.5 tablespoon
Sour Cream
(Contains: Milk)
7 ounce
Fresh Rigatoni Pasta
(Contains: Eggs, Wheat)
4 tablespoon
Cream Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 unit
Lemon
4 ounce
Grape Tomatoes
1 unit
Parmesan Cheese Block
(Contains: Milk)
2 unit
Scallions
1 unit
Bell Pepper
18 ounce
Italian Pork Sausage
Not included in your delivery
teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
2 teaspoon (tsp)
Olive Oil
1 tablespoon (tbsp)
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce.
Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Halve, core, and thinly slice bell pepper into strips. Zest and quarter lemon.
Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites, bell pepper, and grape tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove sausage* from casing if necessary; discard casing.
Add sausage to pan; cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. If you like things spicy, stir in a pinch of chili flakes from your pantry and cook until fragrant, 15 seconds. (TIP: If there's excess grease in your pan, carefully pour it out.)
Break apart rigatoni with using your hands, if sticking together. Once water is boiling, add rigatoni to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 4-6 minutes.
Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water (1 cup for 4 servings), then drain. Reserve pot.
Return pot used for pasta to medium-low heat. Grate half the Parmesan directly into pot, then stir in cream cheese, sour cream, juice from half the lemon, ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water, and 1 TBSP butter (for 4 servings, use all the lemon, ⅓ cup reserved pasta cooking water, and 2 TBSP butter). Season with salt, pepper, and lemon zest to taste.
Add sausage mixture and drained rigatoni; toss to coat. (TIP: If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce.)
Divide pasta between bowls. Grate remaining Parmesan over top, then sprinkle with scallion greens and a pinch of chili flakes from your pantry if desired. Serve with any remaining lemon wedges on the side.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Sep 2026- Flavor: Some found the sauce too lemony or acidic — use juice from half a lemon rather than the full amount if you prefer a milder flavor. A few also found the overall dish lacking in seasoning; adding garlic powder or Italian seasoning helped.
- Ease of prep: The recipe comes together well, though it may take a bit longer than the estimated time — plan for closer to 30–40 minutes.
- Suggestions: Add garlic or extra Italian seasoning to boost the sauce's depth 🍲. Some preferred to skip the cream cheese and sour cream entirely for a lighter result; others loved the richness. If you find the fresh pasta mushy, try slightly undercooking it and tossing it in the sauce off the heat.
- Leftovers: One reviewer added fresh spinach and served it with salad and garlic bread, making it a more complete and satisfying meal.
