Cheesy Baked Rigatoni
Cheesy Baked Rigatoni is easy to make and so good! This is a family favorite recipe. It’s perfect served with salad and garlic bread.
There’s nothing better or more comforting than pasta mixed with marinara sauce, ground beef, mozzarella cheese, and ricotta cheese!
This is one of those recipes that makes a lot of food. I love making a meal like this on a Sunday and having leftovers the next night.
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Ingredients
- 16 oz rigatoni pasta
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 chopped onion
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
- 1 tsp each garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 (24 oz) jars marinara
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- Dried parsley
- Parmesan cheese
Make Cheesy Baked Rigatoni
To start making this recipe, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat a pot of water over high heat and boil 16 oz of pasta following the directions on the package. I used 16 oz of Rigatoni, but penne or ziti would also work for this recipe.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 lb of ground beef and a chopped onion. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
Once the ground beef is fully cooked, drain any extra grease and add 1 tbsp of minced garlic. Stir well. Add 2 jars of marinara sauce and 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
You can use your favorite brand of marinara sauce or pasta sauce for this. I really like the marinara from Aldi.
Stir the sauce together and turn the heat off.
Drain the water from the boiled pasta and set aside.
Assemble Cheesy Baked Rigatoni
To build the dish, start by pouring half of the cooked pasta in a greased deep 9×13 baking dish.
Add half of the meat/sauce mixture to the baking dish and stir the pasta around just to get them all covered in sauce.
Next, use a large spoon to drop about 1 1/2 cups of ricotta cheese all over the first layer of the pasta. Don’t worry if this step ins’t perfect. As the pasta bakes in the oven the ricotta spreads out nicely.
After dropping the ricotta on top of the pasta, top the ricotta cheese with half of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Add the rest of the pasta, meat/sauce mixture, and the rest of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
The pasta will bake in the oven at 375 degrees F for about 25 minutes uncovered. You can also turn the oven to broil for the last minute or two if you like the cheese more browned. Just be sure to keep an eye on it, so it doesn’t burn.
Serve Cheesy Baked Rigatoni
Once the cheese is golden brown and bubbling, it’s time to eat! Top with the Cheesy Baked Rigatoni with some dried parsley and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
I served this meal with a Caesar salad and some garlic toast.
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. This is a recipe that reheats well. I like to put it back in the oven covered with foil and bake at 375 degrees F until the dish is hot. You could also microwave individual plates of the leftovers as well.
Because it reheats well I like to make this on a Sunday and have leftovers the next night. Two night meals are some of my favorite recipes to make!
Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
- I used 16 oz of Rigatoni, but penne or ziti could be used in this recipe instead.
- I like to shred mozzarella cheese from a block for a creamier consistency.
- My family prefers ground beef, but you could use 1 lb of Italian sausage instead of the beef.
- 1/2 cup of heavy cream makes the sauce creamy, but you can leave it out if you don’t have heavy cream and the recipe is still delicious!
- Leftovers of this recipe reheat well in the oven.
- If you are looking for a quicker version of this recipe check out my Lazy Lasagna Skillet Meal.
Similar Recipes
- Homemade Lasagna
- Cheesy Stuffed Shells
- Lazy Lasagna Skillet Meal
- Easy Chicken Cutlets
- Easy Alfredo Chicken Tortellini
- Crockpot Chicken and Gnocchi
- Creamy Chicken and Noodles
Ingredients
- 16 oz rigatoni pasta
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 chopped onion
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
- 1 tsp each garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 24 oz jars marinara
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- Dried parsley
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Heat a pot of water over high heat and boil 16 oz of pasta following the directions on the package. I used 16 oz of Rigatoni, but penne or ziti would also work for this recipe.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 lb of ground beef and a chopped onion. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
- Once the ground beef is fully cooked, drain any extra grease and add 1 tbsp of minced garlic. Stir well. Add 2 jars of marinara sauce and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Stir the sauce together and turn the heat off.
- Pour half of the cooked pasta in a greased 9×13 baking dish. Add half of the meat/sauce mixture to the baking dish and stir the pasta around just to get them all covered in sauce.
- Next, use a large spoon to drop about 1 1/2 cups of ricotta cheese all over the first layer of the pasta.
- Top the ricotta cheese with half of the shredded mozzarella. Add the rest of the pasta, meat/sauce mixture, and the rest of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in the oven at 375 degrees F for about 25 minutes uncovered. Once the cheese is golden brown and bubbling, it’s time to eat! Top with dried parsley and some Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!