Rigatoni Pasta Bake

This Rigatoni Pasta Bake is an easy weeknight dinner that’ll make everyone at the table happy! Tender rigatoni is tossed in a flavorful meat sauce and gets baked to perfection beneath a blanket of both parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Make ahead and freezer friendly!

Enjoy more of the best baked pasta dinner recipes like Baked Mostaccioli Pasta, Baked Gnocchi with Sausage and Cheesy Baked Spaghetti.

This rigatoni pasta bake is great for those nights when you’re seriously hungry and need to feed a small army! Tender bites of rigatoni pasta are served with a seasoned meat sauce that’ll make your mouth water all under a generous coating of cheesy goodness.

This make-ahead, freezer-friendly baked rigatoni recipe is sure to be a regular in your menu rotation! It’s easy-peasy to toss together and always hits the spot.

Why we love this pasta bake recipe:

• Filling: With plenty of pasta and ground beef, this dinner is sure to fill you up after just one serving. However, it’s so good you may just go back for seconds anyways!
• Freezer-Friendly: This is an excellent dinner to make ahead of time and freeze for later! Scroll down for more info on the simple freezing process.
• So Easy: This is a huge win in my home, especially on those crazy busy weeknights! This baked rigatoni recipe takes just about 15 minutes to prepare before you toss it in the oven.
• Inexpensive: This recipe is loaded with budget-friendly ingredients that’ll give you a great family dinner without breaking the bank.

Ingredients Needed for Rigatoni Pasta Bake

• Beef: I like to use lean ground beef in this recipe. It has plenty of flavor, and less fat than ground chuck.
• Onion: You can use any kind of onion—red, white, yellow, or sweet. Dice it into small pieces.
• Italian Seasoning: An Italian seasoning blend gives a savory herbal flavor to this bake. Feel free to substitute whatever herbs and seasonings you like, though. Basil, oregano, parsley, etc.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives the brightest flavor, but you could substitute garlic powder as well.
• Salt and Pepper: A little goes a long way!
• Marinara Sauce: You’ll need a couple of large jars of your favorite pasta sauce.
• Rigatoni: If you can’t find (or don’t want to use) rigatoni, penne pasta makes a good substitute, and so does ziti.
• Mozzarella Cheese: Shredded mozzarella is my go-to! Provolone is also a good option.
• Parmesan Cheese: Freshly shredded tastes best if you have time to spare.
• Red Pepper Flakes: Add more or less to alter the heat level of the meat sauce.

How to make Rigatoni Pasta Bake

Take a look at how to toss together this easy pasta bake! Keep scrolling to the bottom of this page for more detailed instructions.

• Cook the ground beef and onion together until the meat is browned and the onions have softened. Drain any fat.
• Add the Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper to the meat. Cook for just 1 minute.

• Stir the pasta sauce into the dish. Cook for about 5 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
• Cook the rigatoni in boiling salted water until al dente. You don’t want it to be too soft! Reserve ½ cup of pasta water after draining.

• Stir the reserved pasta water into the meat sauce, and then combine the pasta and sauce, stirring well.
• Pour the pasta into a baking dish, top with cheese and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. If making ahead, please see my tips below.

Variations and Substitutions

• Dairy Free: To make this pasta bake dairy free, simply swap the cheese for dairy free cheese. Or, leave the cheese out entirely. Be sure to check the rest of your ingredients to make sure they don’t have dairy in them.
• Veggies: Bump up the veggie content of this casserole by adding extra vegetables to the meat sauce as it cooks. Mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, or even shredded carrots go well in here!
• Lighten Up: To lighten the recipe, opt for ground turkey or Italian turkey sausage in place of the ground beef, and use low-fat cheese. Also, be sure to look for pasta sauce with no added sugar and unrecognizable ingredients

How to store Rigatoni Pasta Bake

Place the pasta bake in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To reheat, place the desired portion in an oven-safe dish, add a splash of water or broth, cover and bake at 350°F until heated through.

Can I freeze Rigatoni Pasta Bake?

Yes! Simply cover in plastic wrap and then in a layer of tin foil to prevent freezer burn. Label with the recipe name and the date, and pop it in the freezer.

Thaw and cook: I like to thaw and cook so that it heats through more evenly. Simply place the frozen casserole on the counter to thaw for about 6 hours, or leave in the fridge overnight. Add a splash of water, cover and bake at 350°F until heated through, about 20-25 minutes.

Cook from frozen: place the casserole in the oven at 350°F, covered only with foil. Bake until heated through, about 50-60 minutes. It may take up to 90 minutes, but you’ll need to keep an eye on it to be sure. If your baking dish is not freezer-to-oven safe, then take the casserole out of the freezer early, and leave it out on the counter to thaw for 1-2 hours before baking.

Can I make it ahead of time?

Absolutely! Simply prepare your pasta bake up to the point of baking, but keep the cheese off for now. Then cover in plastic wrap or foil (or a lid if your baking dish has one that fits tightly). Stick it in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to bake, pour ½ cup water over the pasta (trust me on this one!), cover with foil and bake until for about 20 minutes until warm. Uncover, add the cheese and bake until melted.

PRO TIP: The reason I pour the water over is that the pasta soaks up moisture as it sits in the refrigerator. Adding water will help the dish bake up moist, and will result in delicious, saucy pasta, not watery pasta as you might think!

Serving suggestions:

Serve this saucy baked pasta recipe with a veggie side to lighten things up a bit! Some of my favorites include Cheesy Baked Asparagus, Air Fryer Broccoli and Roasted Vegetables.

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Rigatoni Pasta Bake

written by Ashley Fehr

This Rigatoni Pasta Bake is a hearty and comforting casserole made up meat sauce, rigatoni pasta and cheese! Meal prep and freezer friendly.

5 from 203 votes

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: 8 servings

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 pound lean ground beef
• ▢ 1 medium onion, (finely chopped)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic, (finely minced)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼-½ teaspoon red chili flakes
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 5 cups marinara sauce
• ▢ 1 pound dry rigatoni pasta, (about 7 cups)
• ▢ 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• ▢ 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• ▢ Fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish.
• In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir the beef and onion, until the beef is browned and the onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Drain any juices released.
• Add the Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, chili flakes (more or less according to your tastes), and pepper and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the sauce and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste, adjust seasonings, and set aside.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Salt well and add the rigatoni. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook according to package directions, just until al dente.
• Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the water. Stir the reserved pasta water into the sauce.
• In the saucepan, combine the pasta and sauce. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
• Sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese has started to brown.

Video

Notes

**Optionally, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Bake at 350 degrees F until heated through, about 30-40 minutes.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Ground Beef: feel free to swap the ground beef for ground Italian sausage (mild or spicy according to your tastes), or ground pork, chicken or turkey.

Vegetables: onion provides a great flavor base for our sauce, but this is also a great time to add in other vegetables. Finely chopped or shredded carrots, mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, celery and more are great additions. You can also stir some spinach into the sauce after simmering.

Rigatoni: this recipe works just as well with any cut of pasta! Feel free to use what you have on hand. I often use a whole grain variety. 

Nutrition

Serving: 376grams, Calories: 440cal, Carbohydrates: 57g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 57mg, Sodium: 1310mg, Potassium: 899mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 865IU, Vitamin C: 12.3mg, Calcium: 196mg, Iron: 4.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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