Sausage and Mushroom Rigatoni

This quick sausage and mushroom rigatoni is a great weeknight meal, low in fat and low in calories with some hidden veggies and chicken sausage. You’re going to love it because it’s simple and your family is going to love it because it tastes delicious!! You can thank me later for this gem of a recipe.

Don’t you just love pasta? I know low-carb diets are all the rage lately, and pasta gets a bad rep, but nothing is homier than a nice pasta dish. Lucky for you, this dish is pretty light yet still filled with yummy rigatoni pasta, spicy sauce, and delicious chicken sausage.

Here is what you need for the sausage and mushroom rigatoni:

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion chopped (100 grams)
• 8 ounces baby Bella mushrooms chopped
• ½ tsp minced garlic
• ½ tsp olive oil
• 1 package Blinski’s Mild Italian Chicken Sausage
• ½ cup 1% cottage cheese
• 1 cup marinara sauce (no sugar added, I used Wegmans Smooth Marinara)
• Chopped fresh basil
• 10 ounces Rigatoni

How do you make the sausage and mushroom and rigatoni?

1. Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to boil, cook the rigatoni al dente, and drain
2. Finely chop the mushrooms and onion. I like to use my veggie chopper, linked here
3. Add the oil and garlic into a large saucepan, cook until fragrant then saute the chopped veggies, cook through and remove from the pan
4. Slice the sausage into half-moons and saute until browned
5. Add the veggies, sauce, cottage cheese, fresh basil, and stir
6. Add the drained pasta, divide and serve or store for the week

Can you meal prep sausage and mushroom rigatoni?

Yes, you can and I highly recommend it! Pasta and sauce reheat easy, and getting your cooking out of the way for the week is such a time saver. This recipe makes 5 servings, so you can enjoy it at your family dinner, or prep and reheat it for the week.

Is whole wheat pasta healthier than regular pasta?

Not necessarily no. It really depends on how you look at it, whole wheat pasta is packed with more whole grains than regular pasta, but if you enjoy regular pasta more then you should eat that! I personally enjoy regular pasta more than whole wheat pasta.

Is pasta good for weight loss?

I believe in all foods in moderation! If you truly cannot control yourself around pasta I suggest adding it into your days in moderation but not completely restricting yourself from it! Another fun hack for eating pasta during weight loss is mixing it with some zucchini noodles or purchasing high protein pasta like this one here!

What pasta is rigatoni?

Rigatoni is similar to ziti but it is short and wide and ridged coming from the word Rigato which means ridged. It is the perfect pasta for the dish because its shape captures the sauce, sausage, and veggies with every bite.

Is pasta high in carbs?

Pasta is not the most carb-conscious thing you could be eating. However, there are definitely things higher in carbs like perhaps a fried donut or milkshake, but per serving of pasta, you are likely consuming between 30-40 grams of carbs.

Is pasta high in calories?

Per serving of pasta, you are typically looking at 190-200 calories. This is not very high in calories, although you should notice that the portion size may not be as big as you may think. I always recommend weighing the pasta dry before I cook it, this will come in handy if you are tracking macros and creating a recipe in My Fitness Pal.

Can you eat pasta on a low-carb diet?

You could for sure, but depending on how many carbs you allow yourself each day you may be consuming all of your carbs for the day with one serving of pasta! In my opinion, a low-carb diet is not necessary and not very healthy! Focus on balance and moderation instead!

How many servings is this recipe?

This recipe makes 5 servings! Perfect for the entire week’s meal prep or for a meal with the family!

What is the nutrition information per serving?

You can search HNFit Sausage and Mushroom Rigatoni in My Fitness Pal for easy logging, per serving this recipe is 350 calories, 6.1 grams of fat, 50.5 grams of carbs, and 25.7 grams of protein

What is the difference between marinara sauce and spaghetti sauce?

Spaghetti sauce is typically a bit more complicated and may contain a meat source, marinara sauce is more simple and likely just a tomato base.

Is marinara sauce healthier than alfredo sauce?

Marinara sauce is a much simpler sauce than alfredo and contains fewer calories because it is typically just a tomato base with some flavorings and possibly oil, alfredo sauce contains cheeses and creams making it a bit higher in calories.

Other recipes you may like:

• Cheesy Taco Pasta
• Three Cheese Pasta Bake
• Easy Pasta Salad
• Chicken Noodle Casserole
• Lightened Up Penne Alla Vodka
• Easy Chicken Meatballs
• Cheesy Hamburger Mac
• Ground Turkey Stroganoff 
• Skinny Baked Ziti