Creamy Chicken Sausage and Zucchini Rigatoni Rosa with Arugula Salad

This rigatoni rosa gets its name from the beautiful pink sauce that coats every bite. With savory chicken sausage, tender zucchini and a creamy tomato base enriched with cream cheese and Parmesan, it’s a comforting pasta dish that comes together in just 20 minutes.

Serve it alongside a bright arugula salad tossed with lemon juice and olive oil for a refreshing contrast. Whether you’re cooking for the family or impressing guests, this recipe is sure to earn you compliments.

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Ingredients

6 ounce Rigatoni PastaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 ounce ArugulaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

9 ounce Italian Chicken Sausage MixView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Tomato PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ZucchiniView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Cream CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 tablespoon Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Chili FlakesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, trim and halve zucchini lengthwise, then slice crosswise into ¼-inch-thick half-moons. Peel and mince or grate garlic. Quarter the lemon.
3. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, season with salt and pepper and cook until browned and tender, 5-6 minutes. Transfer zucchini to a plate.
4. If using sausage links, remove casing. Heat another drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up, until almost cooked through, 3-4 minutes.
5. Stir garlic and tomato paste into the pan with sausage. Cook until fragrant and sausage is fully cooked, 1-2 minutes.
6. Stir in cream cheese, stock concentrate, ½ cup reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon butter, ½ teaspoon sugar and a pinch of chili flakes. Remove from heat.
7. Add drained rigatoni and zucchini to the pan. Stir in half the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. If needed, add more pasta water a splash at a time until creamy.
8. In a large bowl, whisk together juice from half the lemon, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Add arugula and toss to coat.
9. Divide pasta between bowls, top with remaining Parmesan and serve with arugula salad and lemon wedges.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different pasta shape?

Yes, any short pasta like penne, fusilli or farfalle works well. Adjust cooking time according to package directions.

How do I make this dish vegetarian?

Replace the chicken sausage with a plant-based sausage or omit it and add more zucchini or mushrooms. Use vegetable stock concentrate instead of chicken.

Can I prepare this ahead of time?

The pasta is best served fresh, but you can cook the sausage and zucchini in advance. Reheat gently and toss with freshly cooked pasta and sauce.