Meaty Rigatoni Bake Recipes

BAKED RIGATONI WITH BEEF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package; return to pasta-cooking pot.
• Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain, and add to pot with pasta.
• Add pasta sauce and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese to pot with pasta and beef; stir to combine, then pour into baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese.
• Cover with foil; bake 25 to 30 minutes or until casserole is at least 165°F in center. Garnish with basil.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook the pasta in a large pasta pot, 2 minutes shy of the package directions.

MEATY RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, crumble sausage into a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and mushrooms. Drain pasta; add to sausage mixture., Transfer to a 1-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with cheese and pepperoni. Cover and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

MEAT LOVER'S BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat slightly, add the basil sprigs and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the basil and season with salt and pepper.
• While the sauce simmers, heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon, until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Cook the rigatoni in the boiling water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl.
• Add the tomato sauce, ham, pepperoni, bacon, half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan to the bowl and stir well to combine. Transfer the pasta to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta stand about 10 minutes before serving.

BAKED RIGATONI

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute onion and green pepper in oil until tender. Add the tomatoes, sauce, paste, water, mushrooms, parsley, garlic and seasonings. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf. , Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and toss with butter. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, ricotta and Parmesan cheese. Stir into rigatoni mixture. Transfer to a 3-qt. baking dish; top with tomato mixture., Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.

LAYERED RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package except omit salt; keep warm.
• Spray 3-quart saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add onions to saucepan; cook and stir 1 minute. Add butter and flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Gradually stir in milk with wire whisk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in ricotta cheese and spinach.
• In separate 3-quart heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add tomatoes to oil, crushing tomatoes with spoon. Stir in basil, salt and pepper; cook uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to simmer and basil wilts. Remove from heat; discard basil.
• Over bottom of baking dish, spread half of the tomato sauce (1 1/4 cups). Arrange half of the pasta, 7 rows lengthwise by 9 or 10 rows widthwise, over tomato sauce. Spread half of the ricotta mixture (2 cups) over pasta. Repeat layers, ending with ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
• Bake uncovered 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

BAKED RIGATONI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and sugar. Season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook until slightly reduced, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add rigatoni, and cook, stirring occasionally, 9 minutes. Drain in a colander, and rinse under cool water until cool. Set aside.
• In a medium nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage, and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to break up any large pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine ricotta with half of the mozzarella. Stir to combine. Season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper.
• To assemble, spread 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add half of the rigatoni in an even layer. Spread with 1/2 cup sauce, ricotta mixture, sausage, and 1 cup more sauce. Top with remaining rigatoni, and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Any remaining sauce may be reheated and served on the side or reserved for another use. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top to cover. Place baking dish on a baking sheet, and transfer to oven. Bake until bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot.

MEATY BAKED RIGATONI

Steps:

• Heat a 3 - 3.5qt pot over medium heat with the olive oil and add the diced onion. While the onion is cooking, remove the casings from two of the sausages and add to a skillet over medium heat. Using a fork or meat chopper, break the sausage into smaller pieces. Cook both for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the sausage from the heat once it looks mostly cooked through.
• When the onion turns translucent, add the garlic, oregano, basil, red and black pepper and continue cooking for about 1 more minute. Add the entire can of crushed tomatoes and stir until combined, lowering the heat to a low simmer. The sauce may look a little oily from the olive oil, keep stirring until it looks smooth and incorporated.
• Add the tomato paste, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and sugar. Stir to combine and allow to cook 2-3 minutes. Taste the sauce and add more salt or sugar to your preference. Add the bay leaves and the cooked sausage and stir, if you're using frozen meatballs, add them now and cover the pot. Allow it to continue simmering on low for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• While the sauce simmers on low, reheat the skillet that you cooked the sausage in. Add the remaining sausages (casings intact) and cook on medium, turning occasionally. As the sausage cooks, fill a large pot a little over half-way with water and bring to a boil for the pasta. Add salt, and a splash of oil if you prefer, and add the rigatoni when the water begins to boil.
• Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C.
• Cook the pasta to al dente according to the instructions on your box of pasta. When the sausage is nicely seared on all sides and feels mostly solid to the touch, you can remove them from the heat and allow to cool.
• Once the pasta tastes al dente, turn off the burner and strain the water. Return the pasta to the large pot and add the sauce. Gently stir to combine everything together. If using fresh meatballs, add them now. Slice the sausage into coins, about ¼ inch thick. If they're still pink inside, don't worry, they will finish cooking in the oven.
• Use a deep baking dish like a 3.5-quart casserole dish or a deep sided 9x13 baking dish and begin filling it. Start with some of the mixed pasta and sauce, add half of the sausage coins, then cover with half of the mozzarella. Arrange the pepperoni on top of the cheese. Next do another layer of pasta and sausage, then more mozzarella and pepperoni. Top off with a mix of the shredded mozzarella and parmesan over the pepperoni.
• Place into the oven, uncovered, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove when the top looks good to you and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium frying pan, heat the oil and butter over low heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley and basil and cook until very soft, about 20 minutes.
• Raise the heat to moderate, add the ground beef, fennel seed, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
• Add the wine and cook until almost evaporated, about 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes with their juice and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
• Stir in the parmesan.
• Heat the oven to 350F.
• In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the rigatoni until almost done, about 12 minutes. Drain.
• Lightly oil a 3 quart oval baking dish. Toss the pasta with the meat sauce and put half of it in the baking dish. Top with half the mozzarella. Repeat with remaining pasta and mozzarella.
• Bake until the pasta is piping hot, about 20 minutes.

AWESOME CHEESY RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 350°F.
• Grease a 13 x9-inch casserole dish.
• Cook the rigatoni until firm-tender (do not overcook as it will cook more when baked) toss with 2 tbsp oil to prevent drying out; set aside.
• Cook beef with onions, garlic, seasoned salt and pepper until beef is done and no longer pink; drain off fat.
• Stir in pasta sauce; simmer 20 minutes.
• In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and eggs.
• On the bottom of the casserole dish spread 1-1/2 cups meat sauce.
• Top with half each, the cooked rigatoni, ricotta cheese mixture and meat sauce.
• Repeat layer ending with meat sauce.
• Top with remaining cheese.
• Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly, about 30-35 minutes.
• Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
• Note: canned sliced mushrooms may be added to meat sauce if desired.