Wood-Fired Italian Sausage and Roasted Peppers Rigatoni

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-12 · Updated 2026-05-12

A hearty Italian pasta dish featuring rigatoni tossed with spicy wood-fired sausage and sweet roasted bell peppers in a tomato basil sauce. This italian-inspired pasta ready in about 50 minutes pairs rigatoni pasta, casings removed Italian sausage, olive oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 12 oz rigatoni pasta
• 10 oz, casings removed Italian sausage
• 1 large, sliced into 1/2-inch strips red bell pepper
• 1 large, sliced into 1/2-inch strips yellow bell pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium, finely chopped yellow onion
• 4, minced garlic cloves
• 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup, freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss 1 sliced red bell pepper and 1 sliced yellow bell pepper with 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt, then spread on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes until edges char and peppers soften.
2. Step 2: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 12 oz rigatoni pasta and cook for 11 minutes until al dente. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
3. Step 3: While pasta cooks, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 10 oz Italian sausage (casings removed) and cook, breaking up with a spoon, for 6-8 minutes until browned and cooked through.
4. Step 4: Add 1 finely chopped yellow onion and 4 minced garlic cloves to the sausage, sauté for 4 minutes until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant.
5. Step 5: Stir in 14 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Simmer sauce for 10 minutes until thickened.
6. Step 6: Add the roasted peppers and 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves to the sauce, stirring to incorporate.
7. Step 7: Toss the drained rigatoni with the sauce, adding reserved pasta water 2 tbsp at a time if needed to loosen the sauce.
8. Step 8: Serve topped with 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of extra basil if desired.