Name: Creamy Sausage & Asparagus Rigatoni
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 3 cups cooked short pasta (approximately 2 cups dry); 2 lbs asparagus; 1 cup boiled asparagus water; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 clove garlic (minced); ½ shallot (minced); 2 large Italian hot or mild sausages (casing removed and chopped); 2 tablespoons tomato puree; 1-2 dashes pepper or hot pepper flakes; ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

A delicious Italian Pasta Recipe this is the perfect dish to cook up some fresh asparagus. Made with Italian sausage and a few spices. Creamy and delicious without adding any cream. Dinner is served.

I know spring has arrived not when I receive a bouquet of flowers (tulips are my favourite), but when the Italian surprises me with a bouquet of wild asparagus!

It’s a good thing I love Asparagus, I like to think of it as the sophisticated vegetable.

These days when I am driving down our main street, I look at the side of the road and I see the occasional person bending down and hunting around in the bushes looking for wild asparagus.

Which makes me realize that this pasta dish could be the favourite of more than just one Italian and not just my husband’s.

This is a healthy cream sauce, what is so amazing is it is creamy all on its own. No need to add cream or milk. All healthy delicious, sophisticated, asparagus.

Table of Contents

How to clean Asparagus

Clean the asparagus by snapping off the tough base of each spear, this is usually around the bottom third of the spear, where the stem starts to turn tender. Keep only the tender part.

How to make Creamy Asparagus Sauce with no Dairy added

Clean the asparagus by snapping off the tough base of each spear, this is usually around the bottom third of the spear, where the stem starts to turn tender. Keep only the tender part, chop into pieces, separate the heads from the stems.

In a small to medium pot, cook the heads in boiling water for approximately 5 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Boil in the same water the cut up stems for 10-15 minutes or until tender. With a slotted spoon remove the stems, DO NOT THROW AWAY THE WATER, and place in a blender with a 1 cup of the boiled asparagus water. Blend until smooth.

asparagus pasta how to make, browned sausage and pureed asparagus and asparagus heads in pan

In a large frying pan add the olive oil, butter, garlic, shallot and cut up sausage cook for approximately 10 minutes until sausage is no longer pink, then add the tomato puree (passata), pepper or hot pepper flakes, blended asparagus and asparagus heads, check for salt and add if necessary, cook on low to medium for approximately 10-15 minutes, stirring often.

Add the cooked pasta al dente, and 1/4 cup ladle of pasta water, toss gently to combine while heating on high heat until thickened, approximately 30-60 seconds. Serve immediately topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.

What type of Pasta should I use?

Cream sauces I was taught in Italy should always be served with a short pasta, such as Penne, Mezze Maniche, Fusilli, Rigatoni, Tortiglioni, or Sedani and if you ask the Italian he will tell you to make sure you get Rigati Pasta (pasta with ridges), it will hold the sauce better!

How to Cook Pasta

Always buy a good pasta and cook till al dente, if it is a good package following the cooking time on the box is a good idea. No need to throw it against the wall, taste one to see if its cooked.

Always cook the pasta in enough water, you will need 4 cups (1 litre) for 3 1/2 ounces (100 grams) of pasta. Be sure to choose the correct size pot, you don’t want the water to reach the rim and overflow, because pasta, when cooked, can increase in volume up to three times. Always cover the pot when boiling the water, but remove it once the pasta has been added.

Calculate about 5g (1 teaspoon) of salt for every litre (quart) of water. Add the salt only when the water has reached a boil and never before.

After adding the pasta to the pot, bring it back to a boil and keep it at a boil while the pasta is cooking. This allows the pasta to achieve an even cooking, be sure to stir frequently while it is cooking.

Never pass the freshly drained pasta under running tap water. You should never stop the cooking, even when you are making a cold pasta salad, let it cool by adding a drizzle of olive oil to prevent it from sticking. Drain the pasta al dente, this is done by tasting, if it has a bite to it it’s ready, nothing worse than mushy pasta.

How to store leftover Asparagus Pasta

Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated. It will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge. Heat the leftovers, on the stove or microwave.

More Recipes with Asparagus:

So whether you make this Asparagus Pasta with wild asparagus or your local market asparagus, I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think. Buon Appetito!