Emeril Lagasse’s 20-Minute, One-Pot Spicy Rigatoni Is So Good It Might Not Even Make It to Your Plate

It’s safe to say that Emeril Lagasse is one of the most influential celebrity chefs out there. But despite his James Beard Award-winning status, Lagasse has always been one for simplicity; In case you forgot, he got his start on a show called “How to Boil Water.” 

Lagasse is always looking out for home cooks, providing us with easy recipes that use few ingredients and simple techniques, and of course, his signature New Orleans-style flair. That’s why, when I saw him making one of his "favorite" recipes—Spicy Sausage Rigatoni—on TikTok with just a couple ingredients and one pot, I immediately ran to the kitchen to check my freezer for Italian sausage.

While the dish is more Italian-inspired than Lagasse’s typical Creole and Cajun dishes, it does still have that classic Emeril Lagasse kick, thanks to the spicy Italian sausage and Calabrian chili pepper paste. And besides its delicious taste, you’re going to love this dish because it comes together in just about 20 minutes, and uses store-bought shortcuts that make it even easier.

For the dish, you’ll need rigatoni, hot Italian sausage (either bulk or links), jarred or homemade marinara sauce, onion, garlic, celery, Calabrian chili pepper paste, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. You can find the full recipe and directions in Lagasse’s TikTok description below.

I Tried Emeril Lagasse's Spicy Sausage Rigatoni

Lagasse’s Spicy Sausage Rigatoni features one of the best pasta sauces I’ve made in a long time—and I didn’t even really make the sauce because I used store-bought marinara. It came together so quickly, yet had a savory, spicy flavor that tasted like it had been simmering for hours.

Truthfully, I almost didn’t even plate the sauce with rigatoni because I was too busy eating it straight out of the pot on pieces of Italian bread. My family tried it and said that the sauce was so good, they could see themselves eating it on bread as a sandwich. And I agree—it’s a darn good sauce. 

It is also ridiculously easy to make. When you watch Lagasse’s video, you can see that he spends some time meticulously cutting the veggies, but I just ran them all through the food processor to save time. I also used bulk Italian sausage so it was easier to break up in the pot.

One thing about me is that I love spicy foods. But let me tell you, I was not prepared for just how spicy Calabrian chili pepper paste can get. That would explain why Lagasse didn’t put a measurement for it; You really do need to measure by taste. I used the jarred DeLallo Crushed Calabrian Chili Paste, but if you can only find whole Calabrian chilis, you can make your own paste by running them through a food processor.

I would recommend tasting the peppers on their own before adding them to the sauce, so that you can gauge their spice level. Also, remember that the spicy sausage is already adding a little kick, so depending on your level of spice tolerance, you may not need to add too much extra spice. It’s definitely one of those sauces that builds in heat the more you eat.

I can’t recommend this quick and easy pasta recipe enough, so I’ll just reiterate Lagasse’s words and say, “You’re going to love it.”