Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers and Onions

Are you looking for a quick and healthy weeknight meal? I have a pasta dish you might enjoy. Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers and Onions is a delicious and quick pasta dish you can whip up after a long day. I am always on the hunt for new recipes for weeknight meals. I found this recipe in Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentiis, and my family likes this pasta. The kids pick out the peppers, but that’s okay—more for me!

I’ve made a few of Giada’s recipes, and I have yet to be disappointed. In this recipe, onions and peppers are sautéed with Italian sausage and mixed with tomatoes and Marsala to make a hearty pasta sauce. I usually toss a salad to serve on the side.

Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers and Onions
Adapted from Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentiis
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausages
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and sliced
2 yellow onions, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup Marsala wine
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 pound rigatoni pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the sausage and cook until browned on all sides about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan, and set the sausage aside. Keep the pan on the heat, and add the peppers, onions, salt and pepper, and sauté until the onions are soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano and parsley and cook for another couple of minutes. Then add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Pour the Marsala and tomatoes into the pan scraping up the browned bits on the bottom, and add the crushed red pepper flakes if you are going to use them. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Cut the sausage into 1-inch pieces and add to the sauce. Simmer the sauce until thickened, about 20 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Once the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, drain the pasta and stir it into the sauce. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and serve. Makes about 4 to 6 servings.