Description
This Cheesy Baked Rigatoni recipe is a comforting and delicious pasta bake that’s perfect for a cozy family dinner. With layers of rigatoni, savory meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and gooey cheese, this dish is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
Meat Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cheese Mixture:
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish:
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the rigatoni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare the meat sauce: In a large skillet, heat olive oil, brown the ground beef, add onion and garlic, then stir in marinara sauce, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Combine pasta and sauce: In a bowl, mix cooked pasta with meat sauce, ricotta, and 1 cup of mozzarella. Pour into a baking dish.
- Add cheese: Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 10–15 minutes until bubbly.
- Serve: Let rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh herbs and serving.
Notes
- Substitute cottage cheese for ricotta if preferred.
- Use spicy Italian sausage for extra kick.
- This dish can be assembled ahead and refrigerated before baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 590
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 33g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
