Creamy Chorizo Pasta
This creamy chorizo pasta is made with rigatoni, savory pork chorizo, and a rich Parmesan cream sauce. It’s a bold, comforting dinner that comes together quickly for busy weeknights.
Servings: 5 people
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Equipment
- Medium pot
- Collander
- Large skillet
- Knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 16 oz rigatoni
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 9 ounces pork chorizo
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Cook your pasta according to the instructions, reserving about a cup of the pasta water.
- Heat your oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened. Add the chorizo and garlic, and cook until the chorizo is fully cooked. Stir in the tomato paste, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, and cook for an additional minute.
- Stir in the heavy cream, 1/4 cup of the pasta water, and the Parmesan cheese. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then add the cooked pasta. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens and the pasta is heated through. If the sauce is too thick, stir in the remaining pasta water.
- Garnish with your cilantro and enjoy.
Notes
• Fresh chorizo works best for this dish because it can be broken apart and spread throughout the sauce, giving you flavor in every bite.
• If using cured chorizo, slice it instead of crumbling it. Cured chorizo holds its shape better and does not break down the same way as fresh.
• The casing on chorizo is edible, but removing it makes the meat much easier to break apart while cooking.
• This dish has a mild to medium heat depending on the chorizo you choose. Use mild or spicy chorizo to control the base heat, then add red pepper flakes or chili oil if you want more kick.
• Extra vegetables like sliced mushrooms or spinach can be added without overpowering the dish.
• Fresh chorizo works best for this dish because it can be broken apart and spread throughout the sauce, giving you flavor in every bite.
• If using cured chorizo, slice it instead of crumbling it. Cured chorizo holds its shape better and does not break down the same way as fresh.
• The casing on chorizo is edible, but removing it makes the meat much easier to break apart while cooking.
• This dish has a mild to medium heat depending on the chorizo you choose. Use mild or spicy chorizo to control the base heat, then add red pepper flakes or chili oil if you want more kick.
• Extra vegetables like sliced mushrooms or spinach can be added without overpowering the dish.