Baked Rigatoni

about the recipe

This baked rigatoni is one of those meals that always hits the spot—warm, hearty, and full of flavor. I start with tender rigatoni pasta and add in savory ground beef, creamy ricotta, and plenty of melty mozzarella. Then everything gets smothered in a rich marinara sauce and baked until perfectly bubbly and golden. It’s one of my go-to recipes when I want something cozy for a weeknight dinner or need a dish that’ll impress guests without a lot of fuss.

INGREDIENTS

– 1 pound rigatoni – 1 pound ground beef – 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning – 1 teaspoon garlic powder – 1 teaspoon sea salt – 16 ounces ricotta cheese – 1 egg beaten – ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley – ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper – 6 cups marinara sauce 2-24 ounce jars – 16 ounces mozzarella grated – 4 ounces Parmesan grated – For serving: parsley basil, red pepper flakes

– Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish. – Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Drain.

– While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet to medium-high heat.  Add the ground beef and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt and stir to combine.  Cook for another 3 minutes until browned.  Drain any excess fat.

– Stir the ricotta cheese and egg together in a bowl.  Add the parsley, pepper, and drained ground beef.  Stir to combine. Stir in the drained pasta and 3 cups of the marinara sauce.

– Spread 1 cup of the marinara in the bottom of the casserole dish.

– Top with half of the pasta mixture and half of the mozzarella cheese.  Add the remaining pasta mixture.

– Top with the remaining mozzarella and the parmesan cheese.

– Bake for 30 minutes, until golden and bubbly. – Serve with fresh parsley, basil, and red pepper flakes.

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