Cheesy Baked Rigatoni
Cheesy Baked Rigatoni is the ultimate Italian comfort food! This yummy pasta recipe makes enough for two dinners or one tableful of guests!
Easy Cheesy Baked Rigatoni is just the best pasta recipe ever! A 3-cheese blend of ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan baked with your favorite spiral noodle, ground meat, tomato sauce, and seasoned with garlic, oregano, and basil – all the fantastic flavors you’ve come to love in a classic Italian dish!
An Amazing, Adaptable, Appetizing Dinner!
Who doesn’t love baked pasta? Whether it’s rigatoni, spaghetti, lasagna, manicotti, or baked ziti – these Italian recipes are cheesy, flavorful, and SO versatile!
I love the spiral noodle, ground turkey, and ricotta combination of this Cheesy Baked Rigatoni recipe – it’s to die for delicious! But it also works great to substitute for almost any other pasta (including gluten-free!), ground beef or sausage (or NO meat for a vegetarian option), or almost any variety of cheesy goodness!
This is a dinner everyone will flip for!
Other Recipes to Serve with Cheesy Baked Rigatoni
- Italian dinners call for bread, and this Grilled Parmesan Garlic Bread does not disappoint!
- Of course, pasta and salad always go hand-in-hand! An Easy Wedge Salad is the perfect accompaniment to baked pasta!
Ingredients
Meat: Ground meat! Like I said, I love turkey in this. It’s lean, healthy, and full of protein! But ground beef, sausage, or even meatballs work with this dish!
Flavor: Onions, garlic, oregano, basil, salt & pepper, and olive oil give this baked pasta a bright, Italian flavor!
Pasta: Rigatoni, with its tight spiral shape, is the perfect texture to combine with ground meat and cheeses!
Cheese: Generous amounts of Ricotta, Mozzarella, and Parmesan are THE cheese combination for this recipe!
Sauce: Simple cans or jars of tomato sauce give the base for this meal. You can go with smooth or chunky. It’s going to absorb all the flavors of the seasonings.
Other: Eggs, beaten, help bind this baked pasta together perfectly.
How to Make Cheesy Baked Rigatoni
STEP ONE: Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft. Then add garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.
STEP TWO: Pour the tomato sauce in and season with the oregano, basil, salt & pepper. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat.
STEP THREE: Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions and the drain. At the same time, the pasta cooks with two teaspoons of olive oil in a second skillet over medium-high heat. Cook ground turkey completely, breaking up as you go. Drain and set aside.
STEP FOUR: Grease two 9×13 baking dishes and preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the ricotta, 2 cups of mozzarella, and 1 cup of parmesan with a dash of salt and pepper in a small bowl.
STEP FIVE: Evenly divide the cheese, meat, and sauce between the two baking dishes. Add half of the cooked pasta to each dish and toss to combine. Top each dish with a cup of mozzarella and a 1/2 cup of Parmesan.
If freezing for later: Pause here, wrap one baking dish up, and pop it in the freezer. Then continue on with the other dish of pasta.
STEP SIX: Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Let one dish cool completely before saving for another meal. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Nothing beats homemade, BUT for extra-easy shortcuts, your grocery produce section has already-chopped onion, jars of seasoned garlic marinara and 3-blend Italian cheeses.
- Ground mild Italian sausage and ground beef can be substituted for ground turkey for a new flavor combination!
- Don’t overcook the pasta when boiling. If you’re concerned about overcooking – especially with gluten-free pasta – take 2 or 3 minutes off the boiling time. You want it to retain its al dente integrity in the oven.
Can Baked Pasta Dishes be Frozen?
Yes! It’s one of the best aspects of baked pasta! Since this recipe makes two full dinners, I always serve one and freeze one for the upcoming weeks. Make sure to cool it completely, wrap it well to avoid freezer burn, then keep it in the freezer for up to three months! Thaw overnight and reheat in the microwave or oven (especially if you like those wonderful crispy edges!) and enjoy!
What’s the Difference between Rigatoni and Fusilli?
The short answer is: The size. Rigatoni has a small, tight spiral, while fusilli is a loose, more open curl. Most pasta is made from ingredients and tastes the same, but the different sizes and shapes determine what sauces work best with them. Generally, open-shaped noodles with holes and curves give thick, hearty sauces a place to cling. Thin, delicate pasta shapes like angel hair are perfect for a light, thinner sauce.
Other recipes for this category (ex., chicken dinners, apple desserts, etc.)
- Pizza Pasta Bake
- Ham and Pineapple Pasta Bake
- Easy Baked Tortellini and Meatballs
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Bake
- Taco Mac and Cheese Pasta Bake
- Roasted Mushroom Spinach Sausage Alfredo Bake
*This post was originally posted on 09/14/2014.
Cheesy Baked Rigatoni
Ingredients
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions peeled and diced
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 58 ounces canned tomato sauce (2 cans)
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
Pasta
- 2 pounces rigatoni
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 pounds Italian ground turkey (or mild Italian sausage)
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
- 2 cups Parmesan cheese shredded, divided
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- Fresh parsley or basil chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Sauce
- Place a large, deep-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Once hot, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the tomato sauce, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes.
- Remove from the heat as set aside.
Pasta
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook until browned and no longer pink, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
- Grease two 9-inch x 13-inch baking dishes with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, eggs, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, salt and pepper until evenly combined.
- Divide the ricotta mixture, cooked ground turkey, and pasta sauce evenly between the two baking dishes. Add half of the cooked pasta to each baking dish and then toss it with the turkey, cheese mixture, and sauce. Top each dish with 1 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of Parmesan.
- If freezing for later: Pause here, wrap one baking dish up, and pop it in the freezer. Then continue on with the other dish of pasta.
- Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and pasta is warmed through.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped parsley or basil for garnish before serving warm.
How much rigatoni?
Hey Connie! This should be 2 pounds of rigatoni. Sorry about that.