a cheesy baked rigatoni (or pasta bake)—super comforting, saucy, and loaded with melted cheese 🤤 Here’s the full recipe 👇
🧀 Cheesy Baked Rigatoni (Pasta Bake)
🧾 Ingredients
For the pasta:
- 12 oz (340g) rigatoni (or penne/ziti)
- Salt (for boiling water)
For the meat sauce:
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
For the cheese layers:
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (optional but creamy)
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Cook the pasta
- Boil rigatoni in salted water until al dente (slightly firm).
- Drain and set aside.
2. Make the meat sauce
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef until browned.
- Add onion and cook until soft.
- Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in marinara sauce, add seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer for 5–10 minutes.
3. Combine
- In a large bowl, mix pasta with most of the meat sauce.
- Add ricotta (if using) and half of the mozzarella.
- Stir until well combined.
4. Assemble
- Pour into a greased baking dish.
- Top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
5. Bake
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20–25 minutes
- Broil for 2–3 minutes at the end for a golden, bubbly top
6. Rest & serve
- Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving
- Garnish with parsley if you like
🔥 Tips
- Add pepperoni or sausage for extra flavor
- Mix cheeses (mozzarella + provolone) for better melt
- Slightly undercook pasta so it doesn’t get mushy