Spicy Rigatoni with Meat Sauce
Spicy Rigatoni with Meat Sauce is rustically simple yet big on Italian flavor with a little kick of spice! An easy pasta night with a quick ground beef and garlicky tomato sauce, tossed in rigatoni and generously topped with fresh Parmesan cheese. A perfect weeknight meal that's ready in 35 minutes!
Servings: 6
Calories: 611kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion finely chopped (about ¾ cup)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 grinds fresh black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ to 1 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (adjust for desired spice level)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or Italian seasoning
- 1 large can crushed tomato
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- ¼ cup fresh parsley or basil chopped
- Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta following package directions until al dente, about 12 minutes. BEFORE DRAINING, reserve 2 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water, a ladle, measuring cup or coffee mug scooped into a glass measuring cup works great!
- Meanwhile, in a very large skillet or Dutch oven over medium to medium high heat, begin to brown the beef. Break it up with a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes.
- When the beef has release some fat, move it to the side of the skillet and add the onions to the open space. Season both with salt and pepper.
- Cook the beef and onions, keeping them separate, until the beef is fully browned and caramelized, about 10 more minutes.
- Push the meat and onions aside to create an open space in the middle of the skillet to add the garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano and thyme. Cook a minute until fragrant. Note: I don't usually drain the beef fat, but this is the time to do it if you want to!
- Add the crushed tomato, heavy cream, spinach and fresh herbs and stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer, reducing the heat down as needed to keep it gently bubbling, about 15 minutes or until the pasta is ready.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce (don't forget to save that cooking water!). Add the reserved pasta water about a half cup at a time as you toss the pasta, to thin and stretch the sauce as needed. I added 2 cups total.
- Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, more fresh herbs, and red pepper flakes.
Notes
- Spice Level - The crushed red pepper flakes gives this pasta a delicious little kick of heat! This can be adjusted to your liking. Adding ½ teaspoon to the sauce won't make it overly spicy while 1 teaspoon will give you a nice kick. You can always sprinkle more over the finished dish! Keep in mind, if your crushed red pepper flakes have been in the spice cabinet quite awhile, they may be less potent than a fresh jar!
- Save the Starchy Cooking Water! - The secret to sauce making! Scoop out 2 cups of the cooking liquid before you drain the pasta. Add it a little at a time as you toss the cooked pasta with the sauce to stretch the sauce and bring the dish together. If you forget and drain it, you can use regular water and a bit more cream.
- Reheating Leftovers - When reheating leftovers, you'll want to add a bit of water as the pasta will have absorbed the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 611kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 361mg | Potassium: 721mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1802IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 4mg