Baked rigatoni combines hearty pasta, Italian sausage, rich marinara sauce, and plenty of melted mozzarella for an easy, comforting meal. It can also be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated until you're ready to bake it, making it a great option for busy days.
- 1 pound Rigatoni
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional for heat
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 cups marinara sauce
- 16 ounces mozzarella cheese, Shredded, divided
- 10-15 fresh basil leaves - optional
Preheat the oven. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
Cook the Pasta: Boil the rigatoni according to package instructions, cooking it 1-2 minutes less than recommended. Drain and set aside.
Prepare the Meat Sauce: Brown the Italian sausage over medium heat. Drain any excess grease. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, then stir in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for another 30 seconds.
Add Marinara: Pour in the marinara sauce, season with salt and black pepper, and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked rigatoni with the meat sauce.
Build the Layers: Pour half of the pasta mixture into the baking dish, sprinkle with basil if desired then sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella. Add the remaining pasta on top, followed by the rest of the mozzarella and basil.
Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.
BAKED RIGATONI
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound Rigatoni
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional for heat
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 cups marinara sauce
- 16 ounces mozzarella cheese, Shredded, divided
- 10-15 fresh basil leaves - optional
Preheat the oven. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
Cook the Pasta: Boil the rigatoni according to package instructions, cooking it 1-2 minutes less than recommended. Drain and set aside.
Prepare the Meat Sauce: Brown the Italian sausage over medium heat. Drain any excess grease. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, then stir in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for another 30 seconds.
Add Marinara: Pour in the marinara sauce, season with salt and black pepper, and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked rigatoni with the meat sauce.
Build the Layers: Pour half of the pasta mixture into the baking dish, sprinkle with basil if desired then sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella. Add the remaining pasta on top, followed by the rest of the mozzarella and basil.
Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.