Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash all produce. • Slice bell pepper and tomato. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Zest and quarter lemon.
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and scallion whites; cook, stirring, until slightly softened, 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add sausage to pan; cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. • Season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. If you like things spicy, stir in a pinch of chili flakes and cook until fragrant, 15 seconds. TIP: If there’s excess grease in your pan, carefully pour it out.
Once water is boiling, add rigatoni to pot. Cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes. • Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
Add tomato to pan with sausage mixture and cook until softened, 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low. • Stir in cream cheese, sour cream, half the Parmesan (save the rest for serving), ⅓ cup reserved pasta cooking water and 2 TBSP butter. • Season with salt, pepper, and lemon zest to taste. Add drained rigatoni and toss to coat. TIP: If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce.
Divide pasta between bowls. Sprinkle with scallion greens, remaining Parmesan, and a pinch of chili flakes if desired. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
