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Baked rigatoni is a classic Italian comfort food. If you love lasagna, then this quicker version hits all the comforting flavors we crave. This family favorite is a cheesy casserole with layers of beefy meat sauce, smooth ricotta cheese filling, topped with melty mozzarella cheese, nutty parmesan, and al dente rigatoni pasta.
The meat sauce has both Italian sausage and ground beef for a deep, meaty flavor everyone loves. We use jarred spaghetti sauce to make things a little easier for the home cook. The ricotta filling is smooth and comforting, seasoned with warm notes of nutmeg. The al dente rigatoni soaks up the flavors of the meat sauce, and the pasta shape holds the creamy filling and red sauce, so every bite is heaven! This is a rock star of baked rigatoni recipes!
Great for a large family and perfect for your pickiest eaters. This is a recipe the whole family will love! Serve this pasta mixture with a crisp salad and garlic bread.
If you love baked pasta recipes, I hope you’ll try our baked ziti with ricotta, stuffed shells, lasagna, and our cannelloni recipe next!
Buon Appetito!
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BAKED ZITI AND BAKED RIGATONI?
They’re both very popular Italian-American baked pasta dishes. However, the pasta is obviously different! Both are different-sized tube pastas. Rigatoni is larger, and it has ridges on the exterior that help catch and hold the sauce. Ziti, on the other hand, is a smaller tube and has smooth sides.
Both dishes generally use tomato sauce and are layered with ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella. The specifics vary from cook to cook and from regional recipes. Both are, in my humble opinion, equally delicious!
BAKED RIGATONI INGREDIENTS
- Olive oil: Any neutral oil will be fine for sautéing the meats. I prefer olive oil.
- Ground beef: I use a lean-to-fat ratio of 80/20. This ratio seems to deliver the right texture and enough fat for flavor. Of course, you can use lean ground beef or ground turkey.
- Italian sausage: I use mild bulk sausage or remove the casings. You may also use spicy if you prefer.
- Salt + Black pepper: Table salt, not kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Onion: Yellow onions offer a mellow and sweet/savory flavor once cooked.
- Italian seasoning: A mix of basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and marjoram.
- Garlic: Fresh cloves garlic add a pungent flavor for a classic Italian taste.
- Spaghetti sauce: Use your favorite jar of marinara sauce.
- Heavy cream: This high-fat cream will loosen the cheese filling while adding creaminess.
- Ricotta: I use whole milk cheese for a rich filling, but part-skim cheese is fine, too. This is the base for the cheese filling and a classic.
- Eggs: I use large eggs to bind the filling.
- Nutmeg: Nutmeg and ricotta seem to go together in many ways. This spice adds warmth to the filling.
- Mozzarella: I use part-skim cheese and shred it myself. If you use pre-shredded cheese, the cheese will have a slightly different texture when melted because the shredded cheese contains cellulose, which prevents it from sticking together.
- Parmesan: Grated parmesan cheese (not shredded) for that salty and nutty flavor.
- Rigatoni: I love the shape of this pasta. It’s medium-sized tubes of pasta with ridges that hold the sauce and cheese filling beautifully.
- Parsley + Basil: Garnish with fresh parsley or slivered fresh basil.
BAKED RIGATONI TIPS
- Deep Baking Dish! This casserole’s volume will not accommodate a standard 9X13-inch Pyrex baking dish. Use an extra-deep 9X13 baking dish. Here’s the one I use. It’s a 9X13X3 inches dish, which is an inch deeper than the standard, with a 5.2-quart capacity.
- If you don’t have one, divide the casserole into 2 separate baking dishes. Spray the dish or dishes with nonstick cooking spray. Cleaning up will be quick and easy. If you don’t have an extra-deep pan, divide the pasta to fill the 9×13 pan and put the remainder in a smaller pan. You can freeze it for later!
- Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet for easier handling and to catch any spills.
- Al Dente Only: Make sure to cook the pasta al dente. Once assembled, the pasta will continue to cook, so we don’t want it to be mushy.
- Homemade Sauce: If you’d like to use homemade sauce, I’m all for it! The best sauce you can use is my Sunday gravy. It’s simmered for 6-8 hours, so the flavor is unparalleled. It’s the most flavorful meat sauce you can make. If you’ve made this sauce or your Grandma made it, you know! If you’d like a really good homemade sauce that’s quicker to make, my marinara sauce is just the ticket!
- How Much Sauce? The instructions call for using two jars of marinara, of which 1 cup is reserved. One jar is used for the meat sauce, and the other jar (less than 1 cup) is used to coat the rigatoni.
- It might seem like the meat sauce is too loose. Trust me, I tested this recipe multiple times to get it just right. When you follow my instructions, the al dente pasta will soak up the liquid to make a perfectly saucy casserole—not too dry, not too wet. Use the extra marinara for leftovers, as the pasta can absorb too much sauce overnight and may seem dry.
- Rest It: When baking casseroles like lasagna or baked rigatoni, let the dish sit for 15 to 20 minutes after baking and removing it from the oven. The ingredients will firm up and settle, so serving will go perfectly. If served too soon, the dish will be soupy, and we don’t want that!
- Red Pepper Flakes: You’ll notice that my recipe doesn’t include red pepper flakes. That’s because my husband hates spicy! Feel free to add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon when you add the garlic.
- Mushrooms: I often add mushrooms to this rigatoni pasta bake. Saute them until they’re tender and release their moisture. Add to the sauce or as a separate layer.
STORING + FREEZING + MAKE-AHEAD
- How Long Can You Keep This in The Refrigerator? Once cooked and cooled, your baked rigatoni will last up to four days in the fridge. Store in an airtight container. Use the leftover marinara to loosen up the pasta.
- Reheat: Place the leftover pieces on a microwave-safe plate or bowl, cover them with damp paper towels, and heat in the microwave until they are heated through.
- Can You Freeze This? Yes! Assemble the dish, but do not bake it. Instead, wrap tightly in plastic and foil. When ready to cook, fully thaw and then bake as directed. Freeze half of the pan of rigatoni and save for a super easy dinner option. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Make-Ahead: My baked rigatoni is best right out of the oven, but can be made ahead. Cook the pasta ahead of time and keep it separate. Cook the meat sauce and chill. About an hour before dinnertime, assemble and bake per instructions. It may take longer in the oven though, so add about 15 minutes or so to the baking time, when starting with a cold uncooked casserole.
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH BAKED RIGATONI
What to serve with the dish? We love this baked pasta dish with a crisp green leafy salad, such as our grinder salad, Mediterranean salad, pizza salad, or our house salad. Of course, we must have our amazing garlic bread, copycat Olive Garden breadsticks, or pull-apart pizza bread.
If you’d rather a cooked vegetable, we like this with our roasted green beans, simple roasted peppers, roasted broccoli, sauteed asparagus with loads of sweet garlic!
HOW TO MAKE BAKED RIGATONI
- Butter an extra-deep 9X13-inch casserole dish; set aside.
- In a large skillet, set over medium heat, add the beef and sausage, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown the mixture, crumbling it in to large pieces. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Stir in the onion and three teaspoons of Italian seasoning, then sauté over medium-high heat until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Return beef and sausage to the Dutch oven. Add half of the marinara sauce (1 jar), and heavy cream to the onion and meat, turn the heat to low and heat through; set aside.
- Cook rigatoni al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain well, then return the pasta to the original pot off the heat. Stir in the remaining half (1 jar less 1 cup) of marinara sauce into the pasta and combine. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and nutmeg; set aside.
- Spoon about 1 cup of meat sauce into the bottom of the prepared, extra-deep 13×9-inch Pyrex. Pour half the rigatoni into the baking dish. Drop dollops of the ricotta mixture over the the rigatoni, then spread into an even layer with an offset spatula. Sprinkle half the Parmesan, half the mozzarella, and half the remaining meat sauce.
- Spread the remaining rigatoni, then the remaining meat sauce, mozzarella, and finally the Parmesan. Bake in a preheated oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes (cooking times may vary slightly) or until the cheese is golden and the sauce is bubbly.
***See the full instructions below.
MORE BAKED PASTA
- Chicken Alfredo Lasagna
- Chicken Spaghetti With Rotel
- Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
- Meatless Baked Ziti
- Million Dollar Spaghetti
- Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno
- TikTok Spaghetti
- Chicken Spaghetti Bake
- Baked Ziti With Meat
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Baked Rigatoni
Baked rigatoni is a cheesy casserole with layers of meaty sauce, with ricotta cheese filling, topped with mozzarella cheese, parmesan, and rigatoni pasta.
Servings: 9 -12 servings
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef 80/20
- 1 pound Italian sausage casings removed and discarded
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 (24-ounce) jars spaghetti sauce (reserve 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Ricotta Filling:
- 24 ounces ricotta
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup mozzarella shredded
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
Pasta:
- 16 ounces rigatoni
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Butter an extra deep 9X13-inch baking dish; set aside. Do Not use a standard 13X19. You can use a 9X13-inch baking dish that has sides that are 3 inches high.
- In a large Dutch oven, set over medium heat, add the beef (1 pound) and sausage (1 pound) and sprinkle with salt (1 1/2 teaspoons) and pepper (1 teaspoon). Brown the mixture, crumbling it into large pieces. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of drippings from the pot. If you don't have that amount remaining, add olive oil (2 tablespoons) to make up the difference.
- Stir the onion (1 cup), and 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning then saute over medium-high heat until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic (1 tablespoon) and continue to cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Return the beef and sausage to the Dutch oven. Add half of the marinara sauce (1 jar), and heavy cream (1/2 cup) to the onion and meat, turn the heat to low and heat through; set aside.
- Meanwhile, bring another large pot of water, with 2 tablespoons of salt, to a boil. Cook rigatoni (16 ounces) al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain well, then return the pasta to the original pot off the heat. Stir in the remaining half (1 jar less 1 cup) of marinara sauce to pasta and combine; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta (24 ounces), eggs (2), remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon); set aside.
Assembly
- Spoon about 1 cup of meat sauce at the bottom of the prepared extra-deep 13 by 9-inch Pyrex. Pour half the rigatoni in the baking dish. Spread all the ricotta mixture over the rigatoni then sprinkle half the parmesan, half the mozzarella, and half the remaining meat sauce.
- Spread the remaining rigatoni, then the remaining meat sauce, mozzarella, and finally the Parmesan. Bake in the preheated oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is golden and the sauce is bubbly.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Deep Baking Dish! This casserole’s volume will not accommodate a standard 9X13-inch Pyrex baking dish. Use an extra-deep 9X13 baking dish. Here’s the one I use. It’s a 9X13X3 inches dish, which is an inch deeper than the standard, with a 5.2-quart capacity.
- If you don’t have one, divide the casserole into 2 separate baking dishes. Spray the dish or dishes with nonstick cooking spray. Cleaning up will be quick and easy. If you don’t have an extra-deep pan, divide the pasta to fill the 9×13 pan and put the remainder in a smaller pan. You can freeze it for later!
- Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet for easier handling and to catch any spills.
- Al Dente Only: Make sure to cook the pasta al dente. Once assembled, the pasta will continue to cook, so we don’t want it to be mushy.
- Homemade Sauce: If you’d like to use homemade sauce, I’m all for it! The best sauce you can use is my Sunday gravy. It’s simmered for 6-8 hours, so the flavor is unparalleled. It’s the most flavorful meat sauce you can make. If you’ve made this sauce or your Grandma made it, you know! If you’d like a really good homemade sauce that’s quicker to make, my marinara sauce is just the ticket!
- How Much Sauce? The instructions call for using two jars of marinara, of which 1 cup is reserved. One jar is used for the meat sauce, and the other jar (less than 1 cup) is used to coat the rigatoni.
- It might seem like the meat sauce is too loose. Trust me, I tested this recipe multiple times to get it just right. When you follow my instructions, the al dente pasta will soak up the liquid to make a perfectly saucy casserole—not too dry, not too wet. Use the extra marinara for leftovers, as the pasta can absorb too much sauce overnight and may seem dry.
- Rest It: When baking casseroles like lasagna or baked rigatoni, let the dish sit for 15 to 20 minutes after baking and removing it from the oven. The ingredients will firm up and settle, so serving will go perfectly. If served too soon, the dish will be soupy, and we don’t want that!
- Red Pepper Flakes: You’ll notice that my recipe doesn’t include red pepper flakes. That’s because my husband hates spicy! Feel free to add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon when you add the garlic.
- Mushrooms: I often add mushrooms to this rigatoni pasta bake. Saute them until they’re tender and release their moisture. Add to the sauce or as a separate layer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 839kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 183mg | Sodium: 1864mg | Potassium: 1004mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1435IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 403mg | Iron: 5mg
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My son had 3 plates. This’ll be on our dinner rotation from now on! Thank you!
Hey Marie! That makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for leaving a comment and the 5 star rating!!