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On a perfect fall day this past October my dad and I decided to hit the grocery store after our golf game so we could have a special dinner ready and waiting for my mom when she got up to the cabin later that evening. We went into town without a plan, but Dad immediately grabbed one of his favorite ingredients-Italian Sausage. After a quick dive into Pinterest, we had some inspiration and a plan. We decided to make our own version of Pinch of Yum’s Spicy Sausage Rigatoni. After dinner, we decided that most of our new recipe adventures turn out wonderful but this one was on a whole other level, deserving some sort of award. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

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Italian Sausage Rigatoni Bake

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Beef, Pasta
Servings: 8
Author: Hunkiedorië

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp Butter
  • 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 Cup Minced Yellow Onion
  • 2 Carrots minced
  • 1 lb Mild Italian Sausage
  • 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • ½ tsp Cracked Black Pepper
  • ½ Cup Red Wine
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • ¼ Cup Zesty Italian Dressing
  • 2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 28 oz San Marzano tomatoes, including their juices (1 can Is 28oz)
  • 8 oz Chopped Baby Bella Mushrooms
  • 2 oz. Cream Cheese
  • 1 box Rigatoni
  • 1 Cup Shredded Italian Cheese mix

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F
  • Heat the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic, onion, and carrots – sauté for 10 minutes or so, until the vegetables are very soft.
  • Add the ground sausage, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. When the sausage is fully cooked, add the wine and let it sizzle out for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, worcestershire, and Italian dressing and simmer for another two minutes – simmer for 20 minutes so the sauce reduces a bit.
  • While the sauce reduces, cook the pasta al dente according to package directions.
  • Stir the cream cheese and mushrooms Into the sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally until creamy-about 5 minutes.
  • Add the noodles to the sauce and toss to combine.
  • Pour into a large casserole dish and top with shredded cheese.
  • Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is slightly golden.