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Rigatoni gorgonzola in grey bowl with basil leaves
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5 from 4 votes

Rigatoni Gorgonzola

Rigatoni Gorgonzola is a quick and easy pasta dish. With a creamy cheese sauce and artichokes, olives and capers for simple deliciousness.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian, Western
Keyword: rigatoni gorgonzola
Servings: 4
Calories: 979kcal
Author: Adrianne

Equipment

  • 1 Medium sized sauce pan
  • 1 Heat proof jug
  • 1 Colander
  • 1 Large saute pan
  • 1 Wooden spoon

Ingredients

  • 500 grams/16 oz dried rigatoni
  • 1 teaspoon salt to cook the rigatoni
  • 2 tbsps butter
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (kosher salt, cooking salt)
  • ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar Note 1
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 200 grams/ 8 oz gorgonzola cheese
  • ½ cup reserved pasta water Note 2
  • 1 cup artichoke hearts drained, chopped into small pieces, Note 3
  • 1 cup kalamata olives pitted and sliced, Note 4
  • ½ cup capers drained, not rinsed, Note 5

Garnish (optional):

  • cracked black pepper
  • fresh basil leaves
  • pecorino Romano cheese
Metric - US Customary

Instructions

  • Cook rigatoni: place a medium sized saucepan on the stove, add water and salt and turn to high heat. Cook rigatoni according to the packet instruction indicated time.
  • Reserve pasta water: scoop out 1 to 2 cups of pasta water, set aside. We only need ½ cup, however, it can be handy to store some leftover in the fridge.
  • Gorgonzola sauce: add the butter to a large sauté pan and turn to high heat. As the butter melts, add the garlic as well as the salt and pepper then stir to combine. Pour in the white wine vinegar and give it a stir. Then add the cream and stir to combine. Allow the cream to come to the boil then turn the heat to low. Add the gorgonzola cheese and allow this to slowly melt into the cream, stir occasionally throughout this time.
  • Artichokes: when the gorgonzola is melted and the sauce is consistently combined add the chopped artichoke pieces. Stir these and allow to heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Rigatoni: add the cooked drained rigatoni to the gorgonzola sauce. Pour in ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water, stir, the add in another ¼ cup. Stir till the pasta water is consistently combined in the sauce.
  • Olives and capers: next add the sliced kalamata olives, stir then add the capers and stir again. Allow the dish to fully heat through.
  • Garnish: liberally garnish the dish with cracked black pepper, freshly grated pecorino romano cheese and basil leaves. Provide forks and spoons for serving. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Note 1 - Reserved pasta water: I scoop out 1 to 2 cups, but we actually only use 2 x ¼ cups (½ cup for the recipe). It can be handy to have some of this spare to juice up any leftovers. 
  • Note 2 - White Wine Vinegar: you can use the equivalent of white wine or vegetable stock as an alternative. 
  • Note 3 - Artichokes: This is the equivalent amount of 2 x jars of 230 grams marinated artichoke hearts. American friends, you can use the 13.75 oz tin which is roughly the same overall volume. 
  • Note - 4 Kalamata olives: this is the equivalent of a 350 gram jar (12 oz). Drained, not rinsed. The olives will be sold pitted, but you will need to slice them for the recipe. 
  • Note - 5 Capers: this is the equivalent of a 110 gram jar of capers (American friends 3.5oz). Drained, not rinsed. The 'baby' capers are my preference over the larger pea size capers. 
  • Serving size: enough for 4 x servings or can stretch further if serving as a side/in addition to other meals. 

Nutrition

Calories: 979kcal | Carbohydrates: 104g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 2993mg | Potassium: 493mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1595IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 360mg | Iron: 2mg