Baked Rigatoni with Ricotta ⋆ 100 Days of Real Food
This Baked Rigatoni with Ricotta recipe combines mozzarella, Parmesan, and ricotta cheese for a hearty meat and pasta dish that the whole family will love. You can even make it ahead of time, freeze it, or enjoy leftovers the next day for dinner or lunch.
It’s hard not to love a tasty combination of pasta, sausage, and yummy sauce! This winning Baked Rigatoni with Ricotta dish can either feed a crowd or be perfect for leftovers on a busy night (or when you just don’t feel like cooking). My girls even took this one in their school lunches the next day. Oh, how I love easy crowd-pleasing dinners! Just add a salad or green veggie and dinner is done.
Can You Put Uncooked Pasta in the Oven?
Unless it’s specifically a “no-boil” thin lasagne noodle, I would recommend boiling your pasta at least until it’s al dente (i.e., almost done) before you add it to any casserole that you plan to bake in the oven.
Can You Substitute Rigatoni for Another Pasta?
Absolutely! Look for other round-shaped pasta like ziti, penne, mostaccioli, or fusilli for this recipe.
Different Variations of Baked Rigatoni with Ricotta
You can definitely make this recipe your own based on your preferences, which is the great thing about this pasta dish. Instead of ground beef, you can substitute it with ground turkey. Another fun idea would be using chopped mushrooms as the main “meat” ingredient.
If you’re omitting the Italian sausage, I would add in some extra spices such as oregano, red pepper flakes, or Italian seasoning. And if you want extra veggies spinach is always a good choice!
How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze This Baked Rigatoni Recipe
Besides being delicious, I love that this recipe can be assembled ahead of time especially helpful on those busy weekdays. If you freeze the casserole do it before baking and thaw it in the fridge overnight before putting it in the oven. You will also need to increase the cooking time since it’ll be cold out of the fridge.
You can also freeze the cooked leftovers for later, too!
How to Assemble, Refrigerate, and Then Bake
Follow the instructions up until placing it in the oven. Cover it and place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake, up to 24 hours. Bake uncovered, and expect about an extra 15 minutes of cooking time than if you had baked right after assembly.
How to Assemble, Freeze, and Then Bake
Follow the instructions the same way as above to assemble the ingredients, then cover and place in the freezer. It’s best to thaw in the fridge overnight. Remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking and remove the cover. Bake as directed, and expect an extra 15 minutes of cooking time.
How to Freeze Leftovers and Reheat
Store cooked leftovers in the freezer, covered, in single-serving sizes for best results. When ready to reheat, you can either thaw overnight or reheat from frozen. Place in the oven at 350 degrees F for 35 – 45 minutes.
How to Make Baked Rigatoni
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cook the whole-wheat rigatoni until al dente.
- Heat the olive oil and cook the onion until soft.
- Stir in the garlic, ground beef, and Italian sausage and cook until brown.
- Mix in the sauce, cheeses, basil, and noodles until well combined.
- Pour the ingredients into a baking dish and top with cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes until golden brown, and serve warm.
