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Creamy, rich, and irresistibly cheesy, this Rigatoni Gorgonzola is the ultimate comfort food! Al dente pasta is coated in a luscious creamy gorgonzola sauce, then topped with crispy coppa chips for a perfect balance of salty crunch. A touch of black pepper enhances the bold flavours, while parmesan cheese adds extra depth.
If you’re craving a flavourful pasta that’s easy to make, this creamy pasta dish comes together in just 20 minutes! Serve it with homemade bread for a restaurant-quality meal at home.
If you love pasta, be sure to try my Butternut Squash, Spinach & Goat Cheese Roll-Ups, Easy Mediterranean Lasagna, and my very popular Creamy Salmon and Broccoli Pasta. This is also a great meal to add to meal rosters ideas as I suggest in my menu planning post, pasta recipes are always a win in our house.
🍽 Why you will love this meal
- You only need four simple ingredients to make this easy pasta dish!
- The creamy gorgonzola sauce coats every bite of al dente pasta, while crispy coppa chips add a delicious salty crunch. It’s the perfect mix of carbs, protein, and rich flavour.
- It's a comforting pasta dish is ready in under 20 minutes—perfect for busy nights when you need to put dinner on the table in little time!
- Easily customize it with different pasta, protein, cheese, or seasoning to make it your own.
🍝 Ingredients You’ll Need
Whip up this comforting pasta dish with minimal effort and just a handful of simple ingredients.
- Rigatoni – The hollow shape is perfect for catching the creamy sauce.
- Gorgonzola – A type of blue cheese that melts beautifully into a creamy gorgonzola sauce.
- Black pepper – A touch of freshly ground black pepper enhances the richness of the sauce.
- Heavy cream – The base of the creamy cheese sauce.
- Coppa slices – This dry-cured pork adds salty, crispy goodness.
📖 Variations
Easily customize this creamy rigatoni gorgonzola by switching up the protein, pasta, or seasonings! Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Meat – If you can’t find coppa, swap it with prosciutto, Italian sausage, or any other cured meats for a savoury twist.
- Vegetarian – Skip the coppa for a delicious meatless version while keeping all the creamy sauce goodness. Maybe add some vegetables like broccoli or peas.
- Pasta – While rigatoni is perfect for holding the creamy gorgonzola sauce, you can also use mezzi rigatoni, penne, or ziti.
- Seasoning & Herbs – The coppa brings spice, but feel free to adjust with fresh basil, fresh parsley, or red pepper flakes for extra flavour.
- Extra Add-ins – Try chopped walnuts, caramelized onions or kalamata olives, capers, or artichokes for added texture.
- Cheese – Swap Gorgonzola Dolce for another type of blue cheese, like Roquefort or Stilton.
🔪 Instructions
This meal comes together very quickly and this is why we love it so much! It is perfect if you have a busy life!
First, let's cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil on medium heat, add a tablespoon of salt, and cook the uncooked rigatoni pasta until al dente. Drain pasta and reserve a cup of the pasta water and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
Tip: Don’t skip salting the pasta water—it enhances the overall flavour of your pasta dish!
Then, make the sauce : In a large pan, melt the gorgonzola cheese over medium-low heat (picture 1). Stir in the heavy cream and black pepper, mixing until you have a smooth creamy gorgonzola sauce. Set aside (picture 2).
Then, crisp the coppa: Heat a hot pan over medium-high heat and cook the coppa slices until crispy (picture 3). Transfer to a paper towel to drain. Repeat for all slices.
Next, combine everything: Return the large sauté pan to the heat and reheat the rigatoni with the creamy sauce and about half a cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir the entire mixture until everything is evenly coated (picture 4).
Lastly, serve and enjoy: Dish into shallow plates and sprinkle with fresh parsley, crispy coppa, and parmesan cheese.
Recipe FAQs
I love serving this comforting pasta dish with fresh parsley or chives, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, and extra crispy coppa chips for added crunch. The combination of the creamy gorgonzola sauce and salty cured meat makes it rich and satisfying.
If you’re looking to round out the meal, try adding a simple green salad or a some cheesy garlic bread.
If you have leftovers (which is rare in my house unless I double the portion to make sure I do!), store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this dish, as the creamy cheese sauce may separate, and the pasta could lose its al dente texture.
The best way to reheat this easy pasta dish is in the microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Since pasta tends to soak up the sauce in storage, I like to stir in a little heavy cream or a splash of whole milk to bring back that luscious, creamy gorgonzola sauce. If you’re using a stainless steel skillet or large sauté pan, reheat it over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
If you’ve never tried coppa, think of a salty, and slightly spiced cured meat, similar to prosciutto but with a bolder taste. The crispy coppa chips add such a delicious contrast to the creamy pasta sauce—you’ll find yourself sneaking a few straight from the hot pan before they even make it to your plate!
More Easy Weeknight Dinner
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Rigatoni Gorgonzola with Crispy Coppa Chips
Ingredients
- 4 cups pasta Rigatoni about 250g
- 1 drizzle olive oil optional
- 125 g Gorgonzola
- 150 ml Heavy cream
- Ground pepper
- 8 slices of coppa
Instructions
- Cook the rigatoni "al dente", according to the packaging, in a pot of boiling salted water, then drain them. Then remove them to a dish and sprinkle them with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Melt the gorgonzola in a large pan with the cream and pepper. Set aside.
- In a hot pan, place the slices of coppa (you might need to do 2 rounds) and allow the coppa to crisp up, once ready set aside and repeat with all the slices.
- Add the rigatoni to the pan with the sauce and mixing everything making sure that all the pasta are coated.
- Serve in shallow plates, sprinkle with fresh parsley or chives and place the coppa chips. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Store in an air tight container 2-3 days in the fridge.
- Reheat by adding a drop of milk to loosen up the cold sauce.
- Salt your water for the pasta.
- Drizzle the pasta with olive oil to prevent them from sticking to each other.
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