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Honey BBQ Sausage Pasta

Honey BBQ sausage pasta with rigatoni tossed in a glossy honey BBQ sauce, finished with cheddar for a clingy, melty coating. Smoked sausage gets caramelized in the skillet, then simmered into a quick sauce so every bite is saucy and tender.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Smoked sausage
  • 1 lb smoked sausage Sliced.
Rigatoni
  • 1 lb rigatoni Cooked until tender.
Vegetables and aromatics
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 1 red bell pepper Diced.
  • 3 clove garlic Minced.
Sauce
  • 0.75 cup BBQ sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
Finishing
  • 0.5 cup pasta water Reserved from cooking the rigatoni.
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar
  • 1 green onions For serving.
  • 1 parsley For serving.
  • 1 salt To taste.
  • 1 black pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook the pasta and sausage
  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the rigatoni until tender. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining, and set pasta aside.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the sliced smoked sausage. Brown until caramelized on both sides, then remove to a plate.
Make the honey BBQ sauce
  1. In the same skillet, sauté the onion and red bell pepper for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until slightly softened but not browned.
  2. Add the minced garlic and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute. Stir constantly so the garlic becomes fragrant without burning.
  3. Whisk BBQ sauce, honey, chicken broth, and Dijon mustard together, then pour into the skillet. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring until glossy and slightly thickened.
Combine and finish
  1. Add the cooked rigatoni and reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss to coat, then return the caramelized sausage.
  2. Stir in shredded cheddar and keep stirring until melted and the sauce clings to the pasta. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
  3. Garnish with green onions and parsley. Serve warm with the sausage and rigatoni evenly coated in honey BBQ sauce.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve the pasta water and add it gradually so the sauce turns glossy and clings to the rigatoni instead of thickening too much. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water or broth to loosen. Freezing isn’t recommended because the cheddar can get grainy after thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cheddar and swap half the BBQ sauce for extra broth to cut calories while keeping the honey BBQ flavor.