Ukrainian Sausage & Tomato Rigatoni
Inspired by a sale bargain on Ukrainian sausage, this quick weeknight pasta pairs a luscious tomato-cheese sauce with caramelized sausage rings inside chewy hollow rigatoni tubes.
The Story Behind the Recipe
Ingredients & Cost Calculator
Adjust servings, portion tier, and local cost multiplier
- Ukrainian Sausage(Cut into round slices)est. $2.00250 g
- Rigatoni Pasta(Hollow tube pasta)est. $0.50250 g
- Fresh Tomatoes(Cut into bite-sized chunks)est. $3.00400 g
- Sweet Onion(Finely diced)est. $0.401/2 piece
- Heinz Tomato Ketchup(Deepens umami and gloss)est. $0.3050 g
- Sliced Cheese(Optional: adds velvety creaminess)est. $0.502 slices
- Sugar(Balances tomato acidity)est. $0.0325 g
- Salt(For boiling water)est. $0.001 tsp
- Cooking Oil(For sautéing onion and sausage)est. $0.011 tbsp
Chef’s Tips & Flavor Balance
Key tips to review before cooking for the best texture and balance
Why Rigatoni Works Best
The hollow center and ridged exterior of rigatoni capture chunks of tomato and sausage relish that flat pasta simply cannot hold. Check doneness at minute 10 to ensure a chewy al dente bite.
Sodium Balance
Both Ukrainian sausage and ketchup come naturally seasoned. Do not add extra salt to the sauce; keep salt strictly for boiling the pasta water.
Sweetness Tuning
25g sugar perfectly cuts the tartness of cooked tomatoes. If you prefer a sharper tomato zing, reduce sugar to 10-15g.
Cheese Emulsification
Melty processed cheese slices act as an effortless emulsifier, turning loose tomato juices into a clingy, glossy pasta glaze.
Cooking Timeline & Parallel Flow
After mise en place, run both cooking tracks concurrently before final merge.
Mise en place
Finely dice the sweet onion. Slice Ukrainian sausage into rounds. Cut ripe fresh tomatoes into bite-sized chunks. Arrange all ingredients ready for action.
Boil Rigatoni
Bring a separate pot of water to a rolling boil with 1 tsp salt. Drop in 250g rigatoni and boil according to package directions (approx. 10-13 mins). Test at 10 minutes for al dente bite, then drain thoroughly.
Sauté Onions & Sausage
While pasta boils, heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat with cooking oil. Sauté diced onions for 3-5 minutes until golden fragrant. Add sausage slices and sear 3-5 minutes until edges are browned and flavorful.
Simmer Sauce & Melt Cheese
Add tomato chunks and cook 3-5 minutes. Stir in Heinz ketchup, a splash of water, and 25g sugar. Simmer 2 minutes until tomatoes break down. Add 2 cheese slices and stir until completely melted and velvety.
Toss Together & Serve
Transfer drained al dente rigatoni into the hot skillet. Toss vigorously over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until every hollow tube is filled and coated with savory tomato-cheese sauce. Serve hot.
