Pasta with cheese, chorizo and cherry tomatoes is a pleasant and delicious family meal. Wonderful pieces of mozzarella, young spinach and a large amount of Parmesan add Italian sophistication to the dish and the authentic taste of Italian cuisine. A quick and easy dinner that is ready in less than 25 minutes!
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The minimum amount of dirty dishes and quick preparation will make you love this recipe. To prepare it, we do not need to gradually add ingredients to the pan. The only exception is the chorizo sausages, which must be cooked first and set aside to be added at the end.
Chorizo (/tʃəˈriːzoʊ, -soʊ/, from Spanish [tʃoˈɾiθo]; similar to but distinct from Portuguese chouriço [ʃo(w)ˈɾisu]) is a type of pork cured meat originating from the Iberian Peninsula.
In Europe, chorizo is a fermented, cured, smoked meat, which may be sliced and eaten without cooking, or added as an ingredient to add flavor to other dishes. Elsewhere, some sausages sold as chorizo may not be fermented and cured, and require cooking before eating. Spanish chorizo and Portuguese chouriço are distinctly different products, despite both getting their smokiness and deep red color from dried, smoked, red peppers (pimentón/pimentão).
wikipedia
What do we need to make macaroni and cheese and chorizo?
Pasta – The recipe uses rigatoni, but you can use your favorite pasta shape.
Tinned Tomatoes – Choose finely chopped tinned tomatoes, as they help make the sauce thicker and juicier. Also add tomato purée (paste) for extra richness.
Chorizo – You will love using mild Spanish chorizos that are cut into chunks. However, you can use hotter chorizo, pre-sliced chorizo, or even pepperoni.
Vegetables – We have onions, garlic, red peppers, yellow peppers and baby spinach. Moreover, sprinkle the dish with chopped fresh cherry tomatoes for extra splendor.
Cheese and cream – yes, lots of it – mozzarella, grated Parmesan and cream. This is a rich dish. You can use reduced-fat and/or reduced-fat cheese if you prefer.
Stock – This adds a little extra flavor as well as extra liquid for cooking the pasta.
👩🍳 PRO TIP: Be sure to submerge the pasta in the liquid while it’s cooking, so it cooks evenly.
👩🍳 Before serving, sprinkle with extra Parmesan, a little black pepper and some fresh parsley.
🍽️ What to serve with? The dish is self-sufficient, but you can serve it with a simple green salad and garlic bread.
One Pot Creamy Tomato and Chorizo Rigatoni
One pot pasta chorizo
A quick and easy mid-week dinner is ready in less than 25 minutes with One Pot Creamy Tomato and Chorizo Rigatoni with mozzarella and parmesan.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 200 g (7oz) chorizo – sliced
- 1 small onion – peeled and finely chopped
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 red bell pepper – reseeded and sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper – reseeded and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic – peeled and minced
- 250 g (8.8oz) dried rigatoni pasta
- 480 ml (2 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
- 400 g (14 oz) tin of finely chopped tomatoes
- 1 heaped tbsp tomato purée/paste
- 120 ml (½ cup) double (heavy) cream
- 75 g (2 ½ packed cups) baby spinach leaves
- 150 g (5.3 oz) mozzarella – chopped/torn into small chunks
- 75 g (¾ cup) grated Parmesan cheese
- 10 cherry/grape tomatoes – sliced in half. I used a mixture of different color tomatoes.
To Serve:
- pinch of black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
You should heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook for 1–2 minutes on each side until it is lightly browned and crispy.
Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, place in a bowl, and cover with a lid.
Add the chopped onions to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until they are soft.
Add a pinch of salt and pepper, the red and yellow pepper slices and the garlic. Cook for two more minutes.
Add the rigatoni, then pour in the stock, tinned tomatoes, and tomato purée, and mix well. Stir together and push the rigatoni into the liquid.
Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover the pan with a lid or foil and let it simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After 10 minutes, remove the lid carefully and give everything a stir.
Add the cream, spinach, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese and stir together until smooth.
The cooked chorizo should be placed on top (to heat through) and covered. Cook the pasta (2–3 minutes) with the spinach and cheese until the pasta is cooked through, the spinach wilted and the cheese melted.
Then, remove the lid and arrange the chopped tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with black pepper, chopped parsley, and grated Parmesan.
Please serve immediately. Your dinner is ready!
Bon appétit!
Notes
Ingredient swaps:
- You can substitute the pasta for your favorite pasta shape.
- Add more vegetables to your diet, such as mushrooms, green beans, and broccoli.
You can add the mushrooms and peppers at the same time. - About 10 minutes before the end of cooking, add green beans and/or broccoli
- Add chili flakes, chili sauce or sliced fresh chilies in for a spicy kick. Add them in when you add the bell peppers.
- Add chicken if you like more meat. After frying and removing the chorizo from the pan, fry the chicken pieces off in the leftover chorizo oil, before adding the onions and continuing on with the recipe.
Nutritional Information is per serving.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size
4 servingsAmount Per Serving Calories 785Total Fat 44gSaturated Fat 21gCholesterol 125mgSodium 1436mgCarbohydrates 59gFiber 4gSugar 8gProtein 37g
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