Ricotta, Sausage and Radicchio Pasta

Radicchio pasta in a black skillet with a silver spoon.

5 from 3 votes

This ricotta, sausage and radicchio pasta is creamy with a bold taste! The simple ingredients come together quickly in less than an hour.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 645kcal

Author: Rosemary Molloy

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 Italian sausages casing removed and chopped (mild, medium or spicy)
2½ cups radicchio coarsely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic minced
¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1-2 dashes black pepper
½ cup water or vegetable broth
½ cup ricotta cheese
3-4 cups cooked pasta (short pasta eg penne, rigatoni, fusilli)

EXTRAS

6 tablespoons pasta water (divided)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large pot of salted water cook the pasta al dente.
In a small bowl mix until creamy the ricotta cheese and 2 tablespoons of pasta water.
While the water is boiling and the pasta is cooking,in a large skillet add the olive oil and sausage pieces and brown, add the chopped radicchio, garlic, salt and pepper and ½ cup water or vegetable broth, cook on low/medium heat covered for 10 minutes, then uncover and continue to cook until water has evaporated, stir in the ricotta cheese mixture, add the pasta and 4 tablespoons of hot pasta water, increase the heat to high and tossing and cooking for 1 minute. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Notes

What type of sausage is best to use?

This comes down to personal preference! You can use sweet Italian sausage, mild or spicy sausage. I love to use my homemade Italian sausage when I have it on hand. You could even use ground meat in a pinch and add in additional seasonings.

What type of pasta should I use?

I like to use a shorter pasta like penne, rotini or even ziti but you could use longer pasta noodles if that is all you have on hand. Pasta usually doubles in size when cooked, so for the recipe you will need approximately 2 cups of dried pasta to make 3-4 cups cooked. One cup of uncooked pasta is equal to approximately 70 grams (I measured with mezze rigatoni).How to store leftover pasta?

How to store the pasta

Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To reheat, add a splash of water to rehydrate the pasta and heat until warmed through.

Can I freeze the radicchio pasta?

You can but the texture of the pasta and radicchio may change upon thawing. Cool completely then store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave.

Nutrition