Baked Rigatoni

This cheesy baked rigatoni is the perfect comforting meal for families, with plenty of cheesy goodness, meaty sauce, and tender pasta.

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Baked rigatoni is a classic Italian dish that combines al dente pasta with a meaty and flavorful sauce. Topped with plenty of ooey-gooey cheese and loaded with tomatoes, it’s hearty enough to fill you up and satisfy the whole family. 

Baked Rigatoni Ingredients

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The al dente pasta is combined with a rich tomato sauce, making for a delicious bite in every forkful. 

The sauce is made from a combination of sausage, onions, tomatoes, garlic, and plenty of seasonings that enhance the flavor of the dish. 

With its bold flavors and hearty texture, baked rigatoni is sure to be a hit with your family. 

Substitutions And Additions

TOMATO SAUCE: If you have a homemade marinara sauce, you can use that instead of all the tomato products in the pasta casserole recipe. You will need a total of 8 cups of homemade sauce.

SAUSAGE: If you like a little heat to your Italian sausage, you can certainly use a spicy ground Italian sausage.

You can also just add ¼-½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the meat mixture when the other spices are added for some added heat to this dish.

MEAT: You can use all ground beef and no sausage if preferred. You need one pound of total ground meat for this recipe.

TOPPING: Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top of this already cheesy dish before serving.

PASTA: Any tube-shaped pasta would work well in this recipe. Try penne or cavatappi as two great alternatives.

How To Make This Baked Rigatoni Recipe

For this delicious recipe, you’ll make the pasta before combining it with the meat sauce. You will then top it with plenty of mozzarella cheese and bake until the cheese is melted. 

Follow our step-by-step instructions below to make this dish.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil cooking spray. Set aside.

STEP TWO: In a large pot of water, boil the rigatoni noodles according to the package directions. Drain pasta, then place the pasta back into the pot. Set aside. You will make your sauce while your pasta is cooking.

STEP THREE: In a medium skillet on medium-high heat, add the olive oil, ground beef, and ground mild Italian sausage.

Cook and brown the meat for 3 minutes before adding the chopped yellow onion, minced garlic, dried basil, dried parsley, salt, and black pepper.

Continue to cook the meat, onions, and spices for an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until all the meat is cooked through with no pink remaining.

Drain any excess fat from the meat mixture.

STEP FOUR: Add the cooked meat mixture, crushed tomatoes, pasta sauce, and petite diced tomatoes that have had their juices drained to a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine all the ingredients fully.

STEP FIVE: Add the entire bowl of meat sauce to your drained pasta pot and gently stir to combine.

STEP SIX: Transfer the sauce and rigatoni pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.

STEP SEVEN: Top the entire surface of the pasta and sauce with the shredded mozzarella cheese.

STEP EIGHT: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. If desired, you can broil your baked rigatoni for the last 2 to 3 minutes to lightly brown your cheese without overbaking your pasta.

STEP NINE: Once your baked rigatoni has been removed from the oven, garnish it with the chopped fresh parsley if desired.

How To Serve

This rigatoni pasta bake is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that can be served as the main course of a meal.

For a complete meal, serve alongside fresh Caesar salad, garlic bread, and a roasted vegetable side dish. 

If serving at a party or buffet, try rounding out the Italian theme with other classic dishes such as lasagna and pasta carbonara. 

Our baked tortellini and baked ziti are two more easy recipes for cheesy pasta that you should check out too.

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Storage

Let us guide you on how to store them properly, so you can enjoy this tasty dish even on busy days.

MAKE AHEAD: If you want to get ahead of your meal prep, this rigatoni is a great candidate for making ahead. Prepare the recipe as directed, and instead of serving it immediately, let it cool to room temperature.

Once cooled, transfer the rigatoni to an airtight container or a resealable freezer bag. Store it in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

IN THE FRIDGE: Leftovers can be stored once cooled completely in the refrigerator, covered tightly with aluminum foil, or in an airtight container. 

REHEATING: You can reheat any leftovers in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes or until warmed through.

Be sure that if you are reheating in a glass dish, your dish has had 10 to 15 minutes to sit at room temperature to take the chill off before placing it into a hot oven.

IN THE FREEZER: This hearty dish can also be frozen for up to three months. Cover with foil before freezing. Allow the pasta to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

This cheesy baked rigatoni is the ultimate comfort food, making it the perfect meal for a family dinner. Loaded with plenty of cheese, tender pasta, and lots of flavor, you’ll want to add this to your meal rotation.

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Baked Rigatoni

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This cheesy baked rigatoni is the perfect comforting meal for families, with plenty of cheesy goodness, meaty sauce, and tender pasta.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8

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Ingredients

  

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• 1 pound rigatoni pasta, cooked to al dente according to package directions
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ pound ground beef, ground round 85%-15%
• ½ pound ground mild Italian sausage
• ½ cup yellow onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 24 ounces tomato basil marinara sauce
• 14.5 ounces petite diced tomatoes, juices drained
• 16 ounces whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for optional garnish

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a large stock pot, boil the rigatoni pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta, then place the pasta back into the pot. Set aside. You will make your sauce while your pasta is cooking.
• In a medium skillet on medium-high heat, add the olive oil, ground beef, and ground mild Italian sausage. Cook and brown the meat for 3 minutes before adding the chopped yellow onion, minced garlic, dried basil, dried parsley, salt, and black pepper. Continue to cook the meat, onions, and spices for an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until all the meat is cooked through with no pink remaining. Drain any excess fat from the meat mixture.
• Add the cooked meat mixture, crushed tomatoes, marinara sauce, and petite diced tomatoes that have had their juices drained to a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine all the ingredients fully.
• Add the entire bowl of meat sauce to your drained pasta pot and gently stir to combine.
• Transfer the rigatoni pasta and sauce mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
• Top the entire surface of the pasta and sauce with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. You can broil your baked rigatoni for the last 2 to 3 minutes if desired to lightly brown your cheese without overbaking your pasta.
• Once your baked rigatoni has been removed from the oven, garnish it with the chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

• Be sure you are using ground Italian sausage, NOT ground breakfast sausage. These will yield two completely different flavors.
• Be sure not to overcook your pasta when boiling it. As your dish bakes, your pasta will continue to cook and absorb some of the liquids from the sauce.
• Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your pasta at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
• Allow your baked rigatoni pasta to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 640kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1333mg | Potassium: 1037mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1119IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 379mg | Iron: 5mg

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