Rigatoni with Basil Cream and Sausage

I had a whole Costco package of basil leftover and knew I wanted to make something with it instead of letting it all wilt away. I prefer creamy pasta sauces to tomato-based, but hate the fact that they come with the added fat. I just happened to have some Greek yogurt on hand and thought that it would make a great substitute to the traditional heavy cream. Luckily, it was a kitchen success instead of a massive failure!


This dish was beautiful. Delicious. Fragrant from the bright green basil. The right balance of salty goodness from the Italian sausage and tanginess from the Greek yogurt. It was so incredibly easy, I will definitely be making it again.

Ingredients
1 lb. rigatoni pasta
2 c. basil
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 c. parmesan cheese (I used the flakey stuff, probably would be even better with fresh!)
1/2 c. Greek yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste
5 Italian sausage links
1 tomato

Boil water for pasta, salt well. Meanwhile, start the sausage on medium heat. In a food processor (or blender), add basil, olive oil, parmesan, Greek yogurt, salt and pepper. Blend together. Once pasta is finished boiling, drain and return to pot. Add basil mixture to pasta and stir. When sausage is finished, slice into smaller pieces and add to the pot as well. Slice or dice tomatoes for the top.

Serve warm with some crusty French bread and a side salad.