Martha Stewart Baked Rigatoni with Sausage

Martha Stewart baked rigatoni with sausage takes 55 minutes and a single sheet pan of squash, cherry tomatoes and spicy merguez to make a juicy, cheesy pasta bake. It's an easy weeknight dinner for fall, summer or any cozy family night, and it's built on one sheet pan with very little cleanup.

Scrape the browned bits off the sheet pan with some pasta water and stir them into the pot. Skip that and you lose the sweet roasted flavor that makes the sauce.

Martha roasts the squash, tomatoes, sausage and shallots together so their juices turn into the sauce, instead of simmering a separate one. Broiling the cheese on the same pan at the end gives it browned, bubbly spots with almost no extra work.

Martha Stewart Baked Rigatoni with Sausage

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

640

kcal

Roasted squash and tomatoes melt into a loose, savory sauce that clings to al dente rigatoni. A quick broil leaves the mozzarella melted and browned in spots.

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ¾-inch pieces (4 cups)
  

• 1 pound cherry tomatoes
  

• 12 ounces merguez or hot Italian sausage links (about 4)
  

• 6 small shallots, peeled and halved
  

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  

• 1 pound rigatoni
  

• 1/4 cup packed shredded fresh basil, plus whole leaves for serving
  

• 12 ounces mozzarella, grated (1 ½ cups)
  

Directions

• Roast the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 450°F with the rack in the top third. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss 1 small butternut squash, 1 pound cherry tomatoes, 12 ounces sausage and 6 halved shallots with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.
• Season and cook: Season everything with salt and pepper, then roast for 30 to 35 minutes. The squash should be golden and the sausage cooked through.
• Slice the sausage: Move the sausage to a cutting board and let it cool slightly. Then slice it into 1-inch pieces.
• Boil the pasta: Cook 1 pound rigatoni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain it, saving 1 cup of the pasta water.
• Build the sauce: Return the pasta to the pot with the sausage, roasted vegetables and 1/4 cup shredded basil. Pour 1/2 cup pasta water onto the sheet pan and scrape up the browned bits, then add it to the pot.
• Toss and season: Toss everything to coat, adding more pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Broil with cheese: Set the oven to broil and transfer the pasta mixture to the sheet pan. Top it with 12 ounces grated mozzarella and broil for 2 minutes, until melted and browned in spots.
• Garnish and serve: Scatter whole basil leaves over the top. Serve it right away while the cheese is still bubbling.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use a different sausage?

Hot Italian sausage is the swap the recipe itself suggests for merguez. For less heat, use sweet Italian sausage, since the squash already brings plenty of sweetness.

Can I make baked rigatoni with sausage ahead of time?

You can roast the vegetables and sausage up to a day ahead and keep them in the fridge. Boil the pasta, toss everything together and broil with the cheese just before serving, so the cheese stays fresh.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, because the microwave can make the pasta rubbery.

What can I use instead of butternut squash?

Sweet potato or kabocha squash roasts in about the same time when cut into ¾-inch pieces. Keep the pieces that size so they get golden instead of mushy.

What's the biggest mistake with this recipe?

Skipping the pasta water is the most common one, because it carries the roasted flavor from the pan into the pasta. Stir in 1/2 cup first and add more until the sauce coats the rigatoni.