Turn an ordinary weeknight into something a little more special with this easy sausage and mushroom rigatoni. It delivers restaurant-quality flavor without a complicated ingredient list or hours in the kitchen, and it's impressive enough for date night or dinner with friends.
As a cookbook author and professional recipe developer, I love creating pasta recipes that feel elevated but are still practical to make at home. Living on The Hill in St. Louis, I'm also surrounded by incredible Italian food, which is always inspiring dishes like this one.
The crispy sage only takes a few minutes, but it gives the pasta an extra layer of flavor that makes the whole dish feel special. If you love comforting Italian-inspired pasta recipes, try my Pasta with Butter Beans and Leeks, Pasta Milanese or Traditional Ragu Sauce next.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy but impressive: The recipe is simple enough for a weeknight but feels special enough for date night or entertaining.
- Restaurant-quality flavor: Italian sausage, golden mushrooms, white wine, Parmesan and crispy sage create layers of rich, savory flavor.
- Ready in about 40 minutes: You get a creamy, elevated pasta dinner without spending hours in the kitchen.
- Creamy without being too heavy: A small amount of heavy cream creates a silky sauce while still allowing the sausage and mushrooms to stand out.
- Easy to customize: Use mild or spicy sausage, swap the pasta shape or add extra vegetables.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this Sausage and Mushroom Rigatoni with Crispy Sage.
- Fresh sage: The leaves are quickly fried until crisp and used to finish the pasta. Sage pairs especially well with sausage, mushrooms and butter.
- Olive oil: Used to crisp the sage and add flavor to the skillet.
- Rigatoni: The ridges and wide openings catch the creamy sausage and mushroom sauce.
- Italian sausage: Use mild, sweet or hot Italian sausage depending on your preference.
- Cremini mushrooms: Cremini mushrooms have a deeper, more savory flavor than white button mushrooms.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic adds extra savory flavor to the sauce.
- Red pepper flakes: Add subtle heat that balances the rich cream sauce.
- Kosher salt: Used to season the sauce and the pasta water.
- Black pepper: Complements the mushrooms and sausage.
- Dry white wine: Deglazes the skillet and adds acidity to balance the richness of the sauce.
- Heavy cream: Creates a smooth, silky sauce without making the pasta overly heavy.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps give the finished sauce a glossy texture.
- Parmesan cheese: Melts into the sauce and adds salty, savory flavor.
- Reserved pasta water: Helps loosen the sauce and allows it to cling to the rigatoni.
How to Make Sausage and Mushroom Rigatoni
Crisp the sage and cook pasta
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the sage leaves and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side, until crisp. Transfer the leaves to a paper towel-lined plate.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until just shy of al dente.
Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
Cook the sausage and mushrooms
Add the Italian sausage to the same skillet.
Cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking it into bite-sized pieces, until browned and cooked through.
Remove any excessive grease, leaving a small amount in the skillet for flavor.
Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they release their moisture and become tender and golden.
Do not rush this step. Giving the mushrooms enough time to brown adds much more flavor to the finished pasta.
Build the sauce
Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, kosher salt and black pepper.
Cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
Simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the wine has reduced by about half.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream and butter.
Finish and serve
Add the cooked rigatoni, finely grated Parmesan and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water.
Toss for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta.
Add more pasta water as needed until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.
Divide the pasta among bowls and top with the crispy sage, additional Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper.
Tina's Top Tips
- Give the mushrooms time to brown: The mushrooms will release moisture when they first hit the pan. Keep cooking until that liquid evaporates and the edges begin to turn golden.
- Reserve plenty of pasta water: Save a full cup before draining the rigatoni. You may not use all of it, but it gives you control over the sauce consistency.
- Cook the pasta just shy of al dente: The rigatoni will finish cooking in the sauce, so undercooking it slightly helps prevent it from becoming too soft.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan: Pre-shredded cheese does not melt as smoothly and can make the sauce grainy.
- Keep the heat low when adding the cheese: High heat can cause Parmesan to clump or make the sauce greasy.
- Add the sage just before serving: This keeps the leaves crisp and gives the pasta the best texture.
How to Get Golden Mushrooms
- Golden mushrooms are key to making this sausage and mushroom rigatoni really flavorful.
- Once you add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet, they will release moisture and may look watery. Continue cooking them over medium heat and stir only occasionally.
- If you stir constantly, the mushrooms will steam instead of brown. Letting them sit against the hot skillet for a minute or two at a time helps them develop golden edges and a deeper savory flavor.
- Using a large skillet also helps prevent overcrowding. If the mushrooms are packed too tightly into the pan, they will take longer to brown.
Substitutions and Variations
- Sausage: Use mild, sweet or hot Italian sausage. Chicken or turkey Italian sausage will also work.
- Mushrooms: Substitute white button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms or a mixture of your favorite mushroom varieties.
- Pasta: Penne, mezzi rigatoni or another sturdy short pasta can be used instead of rigatoni.
- White wine: Replace the wine with chicken stock and add a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end for acidity.
- Cream: Half-and-half can be used, but the sauce will be slightly thinner and less rich.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme can be used in place of sage.
- Spice: Increase the red pepper flakes or use hot Italian sausage for more heat.
- Vegetables: Stir in baby spinach at the end or add chopped kale with the mushrooms.
What to Serve with Sausage and Mushroom Rigatoni
This creamy sausage and mushroom pasta is hearty enough to serve on its own, but I like pairing it with something fresh and simple to balance the rich sauce.
Try serving it with:
- A simple arugula salad
- Caesar salad
- Roasted broccolini
- Garlic bread
- Homemade focaccia
- Roasted asparagus
- A fresh tomato salad
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftover sausage and mushroom rigatoni in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store any leftover crispy sage separately at room temperature in a loosely covered container. Refrigerating the sage will make it soft.
- Reheating: Reheat the pasta in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water, chicken stock or cream and toss gently until the sauce loosens and the pasta is warmed through. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave. Add a small splash of liquid and heat in short intervals, stirring between each one.
- Freezer: Cream sauces can separate after freezing, so this pasta is best served fresh or refrigerated. If needed, freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently with a splash of cream or chicken stock. Make the crispy sage fresh before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pork Italian sausage gives this pasta the richest flavor. Mild, sweet or hot Italian sausage will all work.
For a lighter option, use chicken or turkey Italian sausage.
Cremini mushrooms are my favorite for this recipe because they have a deeper flavor than white button mushrooms.
You can also use white mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms or a mixture of mushroom varieties.
Yes. Replace the white wine with an equal amount of chicken stock.
You can also add a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end to replace some of the acidity from the wine.
Sausage and Mushroom Rigatoni with Crispy Sage
Ingredients
- 10 fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 10 ounces rigatoni
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for the pasta water
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- ½ to ¾ cup reserved pasta water as needed
Instructions
- Crisp the sage. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side, until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Cook the sausage and mushrooms. Add the sausage to the skillet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking it into pieces, until browned. Remove any excess grease, then add the mushrooms and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until tender and golden.
- Build the sauce. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 30 seconds, then add the white wine and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until reduced by about half.
- Finish the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream and butter. Add the rigatoni, Parmesan, and ½ cup pasta water. Toss for 1 to 2 minutes, adding more pasta water as needed, until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta.
- Serve. Divide among bowls and top with the crispy sage, extra Parmesan, and freshly cracked black pepper.
Notes
- Rigatoni: Cook the pasta just shy of al dente since it will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Sauce consistency: The sauce will thicken as it sits. Add reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until it reaches a smooth, glossy consistency.
- Pan size: Use a large skillet so the mushrooms have enough room to brown instead of steam.
- Grease: If the sausage releases a lot of fat, drain the excess before adding the mushrooms, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the skillet for flavor.
- Serving: Serve immediately for the best sauce texture. The pasta will continue absorbing the sauce as it rests.
- Make ahead: You can slice the mushrooms, grate the Parmesan and cook the sausage in advance. Finish the sauce and pasta just before serving.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment below or tag us @tasting.with.tina on Instagram!
John M says
So delicious and the crispy sage brings a new and pleasant texture and flavor mixed into the dish, genius!
Christina Musgrave says
We love the crispy sage too!
Judy Brotton ❤️ says
I hope you meant “wedding anniversary” and not wedding adversary … entirely different relationship!!
Christina Musgrave says
Hahahaha good catch! I definitely meant wedding anniversary!