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Cheesy Baked Rigatoni

A close-up of a hearty slice of cheesy pasta bake featuring rigatoni pasta, rich sauce, and melted, browned mozzarella cheese.
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A simple, comforting, and family-friendly pasta bake featuring rigatoni coated in a creamy meat sauce and topped with melted cheese.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound rigatoni pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. Cook the rigatoni according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned. Drain off excess fat.
  4. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
  5. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
  6. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and ricotta cheese until combined.
  7. Add the cooked rigatoni to the sauce mixture and stir gently to coat.
  8. Spread half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
  9. Top with the remaining pasta mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and all of the Parmesan cheese.
  10. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned.
  11. Let the pasta bake rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • For a meatless version, substitute the ground beef with 1 pound of sliced mushrooms or cooked lentils.
  • You can use ziti or penne pasta if rigatoni is unavailable.
  • To make this a quicker weeknight meal, use a jar of your favorite marinara sauce instead of making the sauce from scratch.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastytipster.com/easy-cheesy-pasta-bake-recipe/