1-Getting started with this creamy sausage alfredo recipe is all about breaking it down into simple steps. First, gather and prep your ingredients like chopping the onion and garlic to keep things moving smoothly in the kitchen. This setup helps even busy parents or students avoid any last-minute rushes.

2-Next, cook the rigatoni pasta in salted water until it’s al dente, following the package directions. Drain it and toss with a bit of olive oil to stop it from sticking together while you work on the rest.

3-Then, in a pan over medium-high heat, sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic in olive oil for about 2-3 minutes until they turn translucent. Add the sweet Italian sausage and cook it thoroughly, stirring to break it up. Once done, take it off the heat and mix in the basil, salt, and pepper, then move everything to a large bowl.

4-Prepare the roasted garlic sauce by squeezing the cloves from their skins and mashing them with a fork. In a separate saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over low-medium heat, add the heavy cream and mashed roasted garlic, and warm it without letting it boil.

5-Lower the heat and whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper until the cheese melts smoothly. In a small bowl, mix the flour with 2 tablespoons of heavy cream until it’s lump-free, then whisk that into the sauce and heat until it thickens nicely.

6-Pour this sauce over the sausage mixture and stir to coat everything evenly. Add the cooked rigatoni and mix it all together thoroughly. For the final touch, put the mixture into a greased 8×8-inch baking dish, sprinkle on shaved Parmesan cheese, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes until it’s bubbly and lightly browned.