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Home » Pasta » Baked Rigatoni Pasta Recipe

Published: January 22, 2020 Last Modified: January 22, 2020 By Sara 37 Comments

Baked Rigatoni Pasta Recipe

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Baked Rigatoni Pasta #pasta #dinner #italianfood #groundbeef #dinneratthezoo #casserole

This baked rigatoni recipe is pasta tossed in a flavorful meat sauce, then topped with plenty of cheese and baked until golden brown. A super easy dinner option that’s great for feeding a crowd!

You can never go wrong with pasta as a hearty main course, whether it’s Cajun shrimp pasta, baked tortellini, or this simple yet satisfying baked rigatoni.

Baked Rigatoni Pasta #pasta #dinner #italianfood #groundbeef #dinneratthezoo #casserole Baked Rigatoni Pasta #pasta #dinner #italianfood #groundbeef #dinneratthezoo #casserole

A spoon serving up a portion of baked rigatoni pasta.

When I need to cook for a large group, I often make a big dish full of baked rigatoni pasta. It’s east to make, popular with both kids and adults, and can be easily customized to fit anyone’s preferences.

What is rigatoni pasta used for?

Rigatoni is a hearty, tube shaped pasta with ridges on the outside which help the sauce adhere to the noodles. Rigatoni is great for baked pasta dishes, and holds up well to thicker sauces such as cream sauces or chunky tomato sauces. If you can’t find rigatoni at your local grocery store, penne is a good substitute.

Homemade meat sauce in a pan.

How do you make baked rigatoni?

Make baked rigatoni by first cooking up a combination of ground beef and mild Italian sausage. Make sure to break up the meat into small crumbles.  Add an onion to the pan and cook it until softened. Saute a little garlic in that pan and add marinara and tomato sauces. When the sauce has simmered and thickened, toss some cooked rigatoni in the sauce. Pour the pasta and sauce into a baking pan and top it with mozzarella cheese. Bake the dish until the cheese is golden brown and melted. Serve the pasta with a little chopped parsley on top.

Rigatoni pasta tossed with meat sauce.

Tips for the perfect baked rigatoni

  • Shred your own mozzarella cheese. Don’t use pre-shredded cheese which often has anti-caking agents that prevent the cheese from melting well.
  • Use a high quality marinara sauce. I like Newman’s Own which has a nice complex flavor.
  • I use 90% lean ground beef – it has plenty of flavor but is not overly greasy.
  • This dish can be assembled up to 6 hours before you plan to bake it. Store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to put it in the oven. You may need to add a few minutes more to the cook time to compensate for starting with a chilled dish.

A pan of pasta in sauce topped with shredded cheese.

Baked rigatoni pasta variations

I typically make this recipe exactly as it’s written. However, you can modify the recipe to suit your tastes.

  • Meat – Try using ground turkey, turkey sausage or diced cooked chicken instead of ground beef and Italian sausage.
  • Vegetables – Add sauteed vegetables to the sauce such as mushrooms, spinach, zucchini or bell peppers. Olives, sun dried tomatoes or artichoke hearts are also fabulous in this dish.
  • Cheese – Instead of mozzarella, try another cheese that melts well like provolone or fontina. You can also add a layer of ricotta in the middle of the dish.

A plate of baked rigatoni topped with melted cheese.

Can you freeze baked pasta?

This dish can be frozen for up to 2 months. Tightly cover the top of your dish with foil, then cover everything with plastic wrap to get as tight of a seal as possible. You can thaw the dish, or bake it from frozen. If you bake from frozen, you’ll need to add another 20-30 minutes to the cook time.

This recipe is easy to make and will delight your family and friends. Give this dish a try the next time you are in the mood for some good old fashioned comfort food!

More pasta dishes you’ll enjoy

  • Mushroom Pasta with Bacon
  • Buffalo Chicken Pasta
  • Pasta Pomodoro
  • Butternut Squash Pasta
  • Philly Cheesesteak Pasta

Baked Rigatoni Video

A spoon serving up a portion of baked rigatoni pasta.
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5 from 35 votes

Baked Rigatoni Pasta

This baked rigatoni recipe is pasta tossed in a flavorful meat sauce, then topped with plenty of cheese and baked until golden brown. A super easy dinner option that's great for feeding a crowd!
Course Main
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 601kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

For the sauce

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef I use 90% lean
  • 1 pound mild Italian sausage casings removed
  • 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons garlic minced
  • 24 ounce jar marinara sauce
  • 8 ounce can tomato sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste

For assembly

  • 16 ounces rigatoni pasta cooked according to package directions
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • cooking spray

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9"x13" pan with cooking spray.

For the sauce

  • Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and sausage to the pan. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
  • Cook the meat for 3-4 minutes, breaking it up into small pieces with a spoon. Add the onion to the pan. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until meat is browned and cooked through and onion is softened.
  • Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the marinara sauce and tomato sauce to the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer.
  • Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes or until just thickened

For assembly

  • Toss the cooked rigatoni with the sauce.
  • Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared pan and top with mozzarella cheese.
  • Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until pasta is bubbly and cheese is melted and browned.
  • Sprinkle with parsley. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 601kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 726mg | Potassium: 863mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 680IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 189mg | Iron: 4mg
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Filed Under: Dinner, Pasta

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    Comments

    1. Mary says

      December 13, 2022 at 7:00 pm

      I used impossible plant-based instead of hamburger. So good. Thanks for The recipes

      Reply
    2. Becca says

      November 12, 2022 at 11:11 am

      How much do I make for a big crowd like 30

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 14, 2022 at 9:04 am

        You can adjust the servings to 30 in the recipe card and the ingredient amounts with automatically recalculate!

        Reply
    3. Patty says

      October 11, 2022 at 12:55 pm

      So far so good! I am making ahead, should I bake the day I’m serving it?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        October 11, 2022 at 1:33 pm

        Yes bake right before serving!

        Reply
    4. Dayana says

      September 13, 2022 at 2:05 pm

      How much extra baking time would you recommend if making ahead?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        September 14, 2022 at 10:01 am

        It should be about 10-15 minutes longer.

        Reply
    5. Charissa Parker says

      August 4, 2022 at 6:15 am

      Hi! If we were to freeze, how many days would it last?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        August 5, 2022 at 8:32 am

        It will be good in the freezer for 2 months.

        Reply
    6. Taylor says

      March 28, 2022 at 5:37 am

      5 stars
      Husband is obsessed!! Had it for the first time last week and is already requesting it again

      Reply
    7. Christine says

      January 7, 2022 at 5:27 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe!! I added a cup of Cabernet Sauvignon because I’m Italian and that’s what we do and everyone loved it so much!! My Italian sausage was also a little spicy but because it was blended with ground beef it was perfect!! This one’s a keeper!

      Reply
    8. Ashlyn says

      January 6, 2022 at 9:28 am

      5 stars
      Just tried this recipe for last night’s dinner and it was such a hit that we went back for seconds. I followed your advice and opted for fresh mozzarella and shredded it.. YUM! We have so much leftover that I have to freeze it. This was my first time making a pasta bake and certainly won’t be the last. Thank you for such a delicious and easy recipe 🙂

      Reply
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