Baked Rigatoni
This Baked Rigatoni has pasta, ground beef and marinara sauce topped with melty cheese and baked until hot and bubbly. The whole family will love this baked pasta recipe!
Why You’ll Love this Easy Pasta Bake
This baked rigatoni is everything you want in a baked pasta recipe. It’s simple to make, you won’t need too many ingredients and most of them are pantry staples. Just like my favorite Lasagna Recipe, in this baked rigatoni recipe I use store-bought marinara sauce and add a few extra seasonings to ensure that the pasta is big on flavor yet quick on prep time. And like most pasta bake recipes, this one is make-ahead friendly and perfect for entertaining.
When you’re craving comfort food, this rigatoni recipe is sure to satisfy. Serve it with a big green salad and Garlic Bread, dig in, and enjoy!
Baked Rigatoni Recipe Ingredients
- Rigatoni Pasta: Or you can substitute another short pasta shape, such as penne or ziti.
- Olive Oil: For sautéing the onion.
- Onion and Garlic: For flavor.
- Ground Beef: Italian sausage also works well in this recipe. Remove it from the casings and crumble it as it cooks. If you prefer a leaner recipe, you can use ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Marinara Sauce: I used store-bought marinara sauce to save time. Homemade Marinara Sauce can also be used.
- Italian Seasoning & Black Pepper: For added flavor. Since most store-bought marinara sauces are already well salted, I’ve found that you don’t need to add any extra salt to this recipe.
- Parmesan Cheese: Bold, sharp and cheesy, grated Parmesan is perfect for adding flavor complexity to the rigatoni. You’ll stir half into the meat sauce and sprinkle the other half on top of the baked rigatoni.
- Mozzarella Cheese: For topping the rigatoni. The mozzarella melts to ooey gooey perfection in the oven.
- Dried Oregano: You’ll sprinkle a bit of dried oregano (or Italian seasoning) on top of the casserole before baking for extra flavor.
How to Make Baked Rigatoni
Boil the pasta. Cook the rigatoni in a large pot of boiling, salted water. Then drain and set aside.
Make the meat sauce. Start by sautéing the onion in olive oil until softened. Then add the ground beef and cook it, crumbling with a spoon, until browned. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning and pepper. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
Add cheese and cooked pasta. Stir half of the grated Parmesan into the meat sauce, followed by the cooked rigatoni.
Assemble the pasta bake. Pour the pasta with meat sauce into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle the mozzarella, remaining Parmesan and dried oregano over the top.
Bake. You’ll cover the dish with foil for most of the bake time and then uncover it for the last 5-10 minutes to help the cheese brown on top. Let the baked rigatoni rest for a few minutes after it comes out of the oven, then serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the pasta or it may fall apart. Cook it for the minimum cook time on the package, or even a minute less. The pasta will continue to soften in the oven.
- Don’t rinse the pasta, just drain it well. By not rinsing, you’ll keep the extra starch on the pasta that helps the sauce to stick to it.
- Add some vegetables. Adding veggies is an optional way to sneak in some extra nutrition. Here are a few ideas to try: Stir a few cups of chopped fresh spinach into the sauce after it simmers. Or sauté some chopped bell peppers or sliced mushrooms along with the onion. Or add chopped zucchini or bite-size broccoli florets to the pan after browning the ground beef.
Make Ahead Instructions
This baked rigatoni is a great make ahead meal, whether you want to prep it ahead for a holiday dinner, share it with a family in need of a meal, or freeze it for later.
- To Bake Later: You can assemble the baked rigatoni up to one day ahead of time, cover and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. Before baking, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes to take the chill off and then add 15-20 minutes to the covered bake time.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the casserole for up to 3 months before baking. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and freeze in an oven-safe dish. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before baking and bake according to the directions above for baking a chilled casserole.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The easiest way to reheat leftovers is in the microwave, or you can reheat the baked pasta in a covered dish in the oven.
More Favorite Pasta Bake Recipes
There are so many delicious variations on baked pasta – try one of these delicious recipes next!
Baked Rigatoni Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped sweet yellow onion
- 1 pound ground beef, or Italian sausage
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 48 ounces marinara sauce, 2 jars (24 ounces each), or 6 cups of homemade sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, about 1 ½ cups
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- chopped fresh parsley, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the rigatoni and cook for the minimum cook time listed on the package. Then, drain (don't rinse) and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven (or large skillet) over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the ground beef, and cook, crumbling, until beef is browned. Drain off excess grease as needed. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Add the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning and black pepper to the skillet and stir. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low. Cook at a low simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in ¼ cup of grated Parmesan. Then gently stir in the cooked rigatoni. Transfer to the greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the top of the pasta, followed by the remaining ¼ cup grated Parmesan. Sprinkle with the dried oregano.
- Cover the baking dish with a piece of foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray on the underside (to prevent the cheese from sticking to the foil).
- Bake, covered with foil, for 25 minutes. Then uncover and continue baking for 5-10 more minutes, until the rigatoni is hot and bubbly around the edges and lightly browned on top. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
- To Bake Later: You can assemble the baked rigatoni up to one day ahead of time, cover and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. Before baking, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes to take the chill off and then add 15-20 minutes to the covered bake time.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the baked rigatoni for up to 3 months before baking. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and freeze in an oven-safe dish. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before baking and bake according to the directions above for baking a chilled casserole.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The easiest way to reheat leftovers is in the microwave, or you can reheat the baked pasta in a covered dish in the oven.
