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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes » Baked Rigatoni

    Baked Rigatoni

    Published: May 27, 2023 · Modified: May 27, 2023 by John Kanell

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

    This Baked Rigatoni recipe is a hearty, comforting meal perfect for a crowd. Rigatoni pasta tossed in a delicious meat sauce and cheese before baked until bubbly and golden brown. It’s excellent for making ahead of time as it reheats and freezes wonderfully!

    A plate with a serving of baked rigatoni with the baking dish in the back and some basil and wine to the side.
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    Pinterest graphic of a white baking dish of baked rigatoni.
    Pinterest graphic of a bite of baked rigatoni lifted from the plate with a fork.
    Pinterest graphic of a serving spoon scooping out a serving of baked rigatoni from a baking dish.
    Pinterest graphic of a plate of baked rigatoni with some wine, basil, bread, and a second plate of pasta in the background.
    Pinterest graphic of a plate of baked rigatoni with a glass of wine, basil, and baking dish in the background.

    It’s hard to go wrong with this baked rigatoni recipe! Who doesn’t love pasta coated in a flavorful meat sauce and a ton of cheese? It’s always a crowd-pleasing recipe, and there’s always enough for leftovers! This is a simple yet comforting recipe that your whole family will love.

    This baked pasta is also wonderful for preparing ahead of time, so you have an easy, stress-free week. It keeps really well in the fridge, freezes wonderfully, and reheats beautifully. Want some sides to make this meal even heartier? Try my garlic bread recipe, Caprese salad recipe, or roasted carrots recipe.

    What You Need to Make This Recipe

    Ingredients needed to make baked rigatoni.

    Pasta — rigatoni pasta is ideal as this is a baked rigatoni pasta! Rigatoni is a tube-shaped pasta with a wide opening, square cut edges, and ridges going down its length. Thanks to the ridges, the meat, sauce, and cheese cling perfectly to it, so you get a little bit of everything with each bite. Penne is a good substitute if you can’t find rigatoni at your local grocery store.

    Aromatics — I’d skip using onion powder and garlic powder and use fresh onion and garlic for the best flavor. Onion and garlic build the aromatic base of the meat sauce.

    Ground meat — this recipe uses both ground beef and ground sausage. For the ground sausage, you can use spicy ground sausage if you’d like some extra heat.

    Marinara sauce — use your favorite! You can get different flavored marinara sauces or just a plain one.

    Basil — fresh basil is a classic ingredient. Fresh basil always has the best flavor, but you can substitute it with dried basil if needed.

    Cheese — this baked rigatoni recipe uses two different kinds of cheese. I find the combination of parmesan and mozzarella cheese to be perfect for this baked pasta, but you can use another, such as provolone. The cheese helps hold everything together, so be generous!

    How to Make Baked Rigatoni

    Set of two photos showing pasta added to a pot of water and onions added to a skillet.

    1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

    2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender.

    Set of two photos showing meat cooked in the skillet of onions and marinara sauce added.

    3. Add the ground beef and sausage. Cook, breaking up the meat while stirring frequently until browned,

    4. Add the marinara sauce.

    Set of two photos showing fresh and dried herbs added to the marinara sauce and pasta combined with the meat sauce.

    5. Add the chopped basil and Italian seasoning and bring it to a simmer. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

    6. Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir to combine.

    Set of two photos showing the pasta and sauce added to a baking dish and layered with shredded cheese.

    7. Spread half of the pasta mixture into the dish. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella and half of the parmesan over the pasta.

    8. Top with the remaining pasta mixture and mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly. Let rest before serving, and garnish with basil, if desired.

    A white baking dish of baked rigatoni with a stack of plates and fork in the back.

    Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

    • If you have the time, shredding your own cheese is ideal. Pre-shredded cheese does not melt as smoothly and also costs a bit more, but if you’re short on time, pre-shredded cheese can help.
    • This baked rigatoni is a great dish to add extra vegetables to. Try adding mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, or spinach to the pasta bake.
    • Make sure the pasta is covered as much as possible by the sauce and cheese. If the pasta is too exposed, it can dry out in the oven.
    • If you want to add more pasta to this recipe, make sure you add additional sauce as well. A bit of extra pasta might not seem like a big deal, but pasta absorbs the sauce as it bakes, so if you don’t have enough sauce or too much pasta, your pasta bake may end up dry.
    • Don’t cut into the baked rigatoni immediately. Giving it some time to rest will allow everything to set up so the pasta holds together better when you cut into it to serve.
    • You can swap the ground meat for ground turkey, turkey sausage, or use fully ground beef or ground sausage.
    • You can add a little extra heat to the dish by adding red pepper flakes to the meat sauce or layered with the pasta and cheese.
    A fork lifting up a bite of baked rigatoni from a plate. A second plate, basil, wine, and bread in the background.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I make this ahead of time?

    What I love about this baked rigatoni is how you can make it ahead of time! Assemble the pasta bake in the baking dish and allow the pasta and sauce to cool before tightly covering it. Then refrigerate the dish for up to 24 hours before baking. Make sure to let the dish sit out for around 20 minutes before baking so the dish doesn’t go into the oven while cold.

    How do I store leftovers?

    This baked rigatoni can feed a crowd! So, I’m never surprised at leftovers. In fact, they’re even tastier the next day as the pasta continues to absorb the sauce. Place leftovers into an airtight container and, once cooled to room temperature, refrigerate it for up to 3 days.

    Can I freeze this recipe?

    If you prefer to freeze leftovers, you can place leftovers into airtight freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating. If you plan on freezing the whole dish, I suggest using an aluminum baking dish.

    If you love this recipe try these out!

    • A plate with a serving of baked ziti by a glass of wine and baking dish.

      Baked Ziti

    • A plate of Cajun chicken pasta with a glass of wine and skillet in the background.

      Cajun Chicken Pasta

    • A plate of chicken pesto pasta with basil and sun-dried tomatoes with some bread, shredded parmesan and another plate of pasta in the background.

      Chicken Pesto Pasta

    • A plate of baked mac and cheese with a glass of water and baking dish with the rest in the background.

      Baked Mac and Cheese

    • A plate with cacio e pepe with grated cheese and more noodles in the background.

      Cacio E Pepe

    If you’ve tried this Baked Rigatoni recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

    A slightly angled overhead view of a baking dish of baked rigatoni with a serving removed.
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    5 from 2 votes

    Baked Rigatoni

    Perfect for a family meal, this Baked Rigatoni recipe is simple but delicious! It's a comforting pasta bake full of rigatoni, a hearty meat sauce, and cheese.
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
    Rest Time 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 685kcal
    Author John Kanell

    Equipment

    • Large Pot
    • Large skillet
    • 13×9″ baking or casserole dish
    • Baking Sheet

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound rigatoni pasta (450g)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 onion chopped
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 pound lean ground beef (450g)
    • 1 pound ground sausage (450g)
    • 1 jar marinara sauce (24-ounce/677g)
    • 2 tablespoons chopped basil
    • 1½ tablespoons Italian seasoning
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (336g)
    • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese (85g)
    • Basil for garnish

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
    • Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until tender, about 5 minutes.
    • Add the ground beef and sausage. Cook, breaking up the meat while stirring frequently until browned, about 5 minutes.
    • Stir in the marinara sauce, chopped basil, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir to combine.
    • Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
    • Spread half of the pasta mixture into the dish. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella and half of the parmesan over the pasta. Top with the remaining pasta mixture and mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Place on a baking sheet to catch any drips.
    • Bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with basil, if desired.

    Notes

    • If you have the time, shredding your own cheese is ideal. Pre-shredded cheese does not melt as smoothly and also costs a bit more, but if you’re short on time, pre-shredded cheese can save you time.
    • This baked rigatoni is a great dish to add extra vegetables to. Try adding mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, or spinach to the pasta bake.
    • Make sure the pasta is covered as much as possible by the sauce and cheese. If the pasta is too exposed, it can dry out in the oven.
    • If you want to add more pasta to this recipe, make sure you add additional sauce as well. A bit of extra pasta might not seem like a big deal, but pasta absorbs the sauce as it bakes, so if you don’t have enough sauce or too much pasta, your pasta bake may end up dry.
    • Don’t cut into the baked rigatoni immediately. Giving it some time to rest will allow everything to set up so the pasta holds together better when you cut into it to serve.
    • You can swap the ground meat for ground turkey, turkey sausage, or use fully ground beef or ground sausage.
    • You can add a little extra heat to the dish by adding red pepper flakes to the meat sauce or layered with the pasta and cheese.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 685kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 1288mg | Potassium: 810mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 845IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 378mg | Iron: 4mg
    *Nutrition Disclaimer
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    Welcome to Preppy Kitchen!

    Thanks for stopping by! I’m John Kanell, a husband, dad to twins Lachlan and George, Los Angeles native, and an avid baker and cooker of all things delicious thanks to a life long education from my mother. This blog is where I share all of my kitchen creations!

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