The Sunday Supper Shortcut Properly Simple Baked Rigatoni with Three Cheeses

Simple Cheesy Baked Rigatoni

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Preparation time:20 Mins

Cooking time:40 Mins

Servings:6 generous servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (450g) dry Rigatoni Pasta
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 medium Yellow Onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 28 ounces (794g) Crushed Tomatoes (canned)
• 2 tablespoons (30g) Tomato Paste
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Dried Basil
• Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
• Salt and Black Pepper to taste
• 15 ounces (425g) Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
• 1 large Egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup (60ml) Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup (50g) Grated Parmesan Cheese (plus extra for topping)
• 2 cups (225g) Low-Moisture Mozzarella, shredded

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Cook rigatoni according to package directions, but subtract 2 minutes from the suggested cooking time to ensure it is very al dente. Drain and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion until softened (about 5 minutes). Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
• Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes.
• While the sauce simmers, combine the ricotta cheese, lightly beaten egg, fresh parsley, 1/2 cup of Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
• Remove the sauce from the heat. Add the slightly undercooked rigatoni to the skillet and toss gently until every piece is coated.
• Assemble the bake: Spread half of the sauced pasta mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Dollop small spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture evenly over this pasta layer. Top with the remaining half of the sauced pasta.
• Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top, followed by a final dusting of reserved Parmesan cheese.
• Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5–10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
• Let the rigatoni rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving to allow it to set properly.

Nutrition Facts

Calories	1210 kcal
Protein	23.8 g
Fat	14.5 g
Carbs	66.3 g
Fiber	25.9 g
Sodium	552 mg

Recipe Info

Category	Main Course, Italian-American
Cuisine	Italian-American

The Ultimate Weeknight Warmth: Introducing Our Effortless Baked Rigatoni

There is a certain magic that happens when pasta tubes meet rich tomato sauce, creamy cheese, and a scorching hot oven. It transforms a standard meal into an event, wrapping you in a blanket of pure, unadulterated comfort. Today, we are diving deep into the world of Simple Baked Rigatoni . This isn't your grandmother’s recipe that requires three days of prep; this is streamlined, flavour-packed Italian-American comfort food, perfectly portioned for busy weeknights but impressive enough for any gathering. We are aiming for that ideal balance: perfectly cooked pasta, a vibrant, savoury sauce, and a bubbling, golden-brown cheese crust that sings with every bite. This Easy Baked Rigatoni Recipe is your new secret weapon for satisfying dinners.

Why This Cheesy Bake Deserves a Spot in Your Rotation

When seeking out Simple Pasta Dinners , many recipes overcomplicate the process, demanding hours of simmering or layering complicated béchamel sauces. Our approach strips away the unnecessary fuss while dialing up the essential flavour components. We have designed this bake to deliver maximum reward for minimal effort, proving that truly great food doesn't need to be complicated.

A Culinary Hug Without the Commitment

Life moves fast, but dinner shouldn’t suffer. The beauty of this dish lies in its immediacy. With a prep time of under half an hour and a total cook time hovering around an hour, this Easy Baked Rigatoni slides neatly into even the most hectic schedule. It’s the kind of meal that smells incredible filling your kitchen, immediately lowering the stress levels of everyone walking through the door. It’s the ultimate expression of weeknight warmth captured in a 9x13 baking dish.

Elevating the Comfort Classic: What Makes This Version Shine

While some cooks reach straight for Baked Rigatoni with Jar Sauce , we elevate the experience slightly by building a quick, vibrant sauce base right in the skillet. We start with aromatic sautéed onions and garlic, deepening the flavour profile instantly before adding quality crushed tomatoes. The addition of ricotta cheese mixed with a binder—a single egg—ensures that lovely creamy layer pockets throughout the pasta, providing the melt-in-your-mouth texture you crave in an Easy Baked Rigatoni with Ricotta .

Perfect for Company or Solo Satisfaction

Whether you are hosting a casual Sunday dinner or just need a substantial meal for the family, this recipe scales beautifully. It yields six hearty portions, making it ideal for entertaining. And let’s be honest, few things reheat better than a Simple Baked Rigatoni . That’s why mastering this recipe ensures you have delicious leftovers ready to go, solidifying its spot among your favourite Italian Casserole Recipes .

Assembling the Components for Your Simple Baked Rigatoni Masterpiece

Success in any great bake hinges on having high-quality components ready to go. Before we even touch the stove, understanding the role of each ingredient ensures a harmonious final product. For this iteration of Simple Baked Rigatoni , we are focusing on a robust sauce, creamy filling, and a trio of perfect melting cheeses.

Essential Pantry Staples and Premium Dairy Picks

The flavour foundation of this dish relies heavily on those core pantry items we usually keep stocked. We are using 1 pound of dry rigatoni, a 28-ounce can of quality crushed tomatoes, and essential aromatics like a medium yellow onion and four cloves of garlic.

The difference between a good bake and a great one often comes down to the dairy used in the topping and filling.

The Core Trio: Must-Have Cheeses for Maximum Melt

For the quintessential gooey finish, we rely on a powerful cheese combination. First, whole milk ricotta is essential for the creamy interior layer—ensure it’s not overly watery, or your bake will thin out. Next, low-moisture mozzarella, shredded generously (ideally freshly grated from a block), forms the classic, pull-apart topping.

Finally, grated Parmesan cheese is incorporated both into the ricotta mixture and sprinkled on top for that sharp, salty depth that cuts through the richness. This layering is key to achieving that signature cheesy blanket.

Selecting the Right Rigatoni Shape for Superior Sauce Capture

Rigatoni is non-negotiable here. Its large, ridged tubes are designed specifically to trap sauces, both inside the hollow core and on the exterior grooves. When you mix this pasta with the sauce before baking, every single tube becomes a vessel for flavour. If rigatoni is unavailable, large penne or ziti would be the next best substitutes in this Simple Baked Rigatoni Recipe .

The Flavor Foundation: Herbs, Aromatics, and Sauce Requirements

The sauce needs depth without the commitment of a four-hour simmer. We achieve this by blooming tomato paste with the sautéed onion and garlic—a quick step that removes the raw metallic taste of the paste and deepens the umami. Dried oregano and basil are blended in, perhaps with a pinch of red pepper flakes for a subtle background warmth. This simple, flavour-forward sauce ensures that whether you opt for Baked Rigatoni with Sausage or stick to vegetarian, the base tastes wonderfully homemade.

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Streamlined Steps to Achieve Golden-Brown Perfection

The process for creating this Simple Baked Rigatoni is linear and satisfying. We cook the pasta, build the sauce, whip up the cheese mix, and then it’s all about strategic layering before the oven does the heavy lifting. Patience during the initial cooking and resting phases is what separates a good bake from a truly exceptional one.

The Baking Blueprint: Layering and Finishing Touches

This is where the magic of combining disparate ingredients into a unified casserole happens. Careful attention to the pasta’s initial doneness and the final resting period ensures texture perfection, avoiding both mushiness and dryness.

Prepping the Pasta: Achieving Al Dente Success

The single most critical step in any baked pasta dish is preventing overcooking the noodles beforehand. We boil the rigatoni according to package directions but subtract a full two minutes from the recommended time. This aggressive undercooking ensures the pasta is intensely al dente . Why? Because it must absorb liquid and finish cooking in the oven; otherwise, it becomes soft and paste-like after the final bake.

Mixing Magic: Combining Sauce, Cheese, and Tubes

Once the pasta is drained, it should immediately go into the pot or skillet containing the gently simmered tomato ragù. Toss thoroughly so every surface is coated. In a separate bowl, gently fold together the ricotta, one lightly beaten egg (which acts as a crucial binder), fresh parsley, and half of the Parmesan.

This creamy, cheesy blend will be dolloped throughout the layers, ensuring textural contrast.

The Final Transformation: Oven Settings and Bake Times

Transfer half of the sauced pasta mixture into your greased 9x13 baking dish. Evenly distribute the ricotta mixture on top—don’t worry about perfect coverage; dollops are better as they spread during the bake. Cover this with the remaining pasta. Generously apply the shredded mozzarella and a final sprinkle of Parmesan. Crucially, cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 375° F ( 190° C) for 20 minutes. This steaming phase hydrates the pasta perfectly. Remove the foil and bake for another 5– 10 minutes until that glorious, golden-brown crust forms.

The Crucial Rest Period for Settled Flavours

Resist the urge to dive in immediately! Once out of the oven, let the Simple Baked Rigatoni rest on the counter for at least 10 minutes. This short pause allows the bubbling cheese to settle, the sauce to re-absorb any last bits of moisture, and the layers to firm up just enough so that when you slice into it, you get clean, defined squares rather than a soupy mess.

Maximizing Flavor and Leftovers: Pro Tips for This Simple Baked Rigatoni

To truly master this dish, a few subtle adjustments can make a significant difference in both taste and practicality. Using high-quality ingredients where it counts—namely the cheese and tomatoes—pays dividends.

Troubleshooting and Creative Twists for Your Next Bake

While this recipe is inherently straightforward, sometimes ingredients conspire against us, or we simply crave variety. Knowing how to adapt ensures consistent success every time you decide to make this Easy Baked Rigatoni Ground Beef version, for example.

Make-Ahead Strategies: Prep Everything for Tomorrow's Dinner

The beauty of this casserole is its excellent make-ahead capability. You can complete all assembly steps—cooking the pasta, making the sauce, mixing the ricotta, and layering everything in the dish—up to 24 hours in advance. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to bake, pull it out about 30 minutes before going into the oven, or simply add an extra 10– 15 minutes to the covered baking time.

Storage Secrets: Keeping Leftovers Fresh and Delicious

Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. When reheating, a splash of water or stock on the side before microwaving or baking helps refresh the moisture absorbed during storage, keeping your second servings just as comforting as the first.

Boosting the Protein: Seamlessly Integrating Chicken or Sausage

If you want to turn this vegetarian bake into a heartier meal, consider brown 1/2 pound of Italian sausage (removed from casings) or lean ground beef along with the onions at the beginning of the sauce preparation. This integrates the protein beautifully, creating a robust variation, perhaps leaning toward a Baked Rigatoni with Sausage delight. Shredded, pre-cooked rotisserie chicken can also be stirred directly into the finished pasta/sauce mix before layering.

Nutritional Snapshot: Understanding Your Comfort Food Indulgence

While undeniably rich, this dish provides substantial protein thanks to the generous use of ricotta and mozzarella. Keep in mind that sodium levels can creep up quickly with prepared sauces and cheeses, so opting for low-sodium cheese choices or reducing added salt can help manage the overall profile, keeping this indulgence firmly on your regular rotation list.