YumVerseEats
Get New Recipes Weekly
Quick weeknight dinners, tested and ready.
No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Cheesy Baked Rigatoni
20
min active
·
6
servings
·
45
min total
An rigatoni bake with savory sauce and gooey melted cheese throughout.
Avo's Tip
Undercook pasta slightly.
No mezzi rigatoni? Any short tubular pasta — regular rigatoni, penne, or ziti — creates the same effect.
No ground beef? Ground pork or Italian sausage (casings removed) both work well.
No mozzarella? Provolone or a shredded Italian blend melt just as nicely.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before you start cooking.
Do I need rigatoni?
Rigatoni is best, but ziti or penne will also work.
Can I use Italian sausage instead of beef?
Yes. Mild or sweet Italian sausage works well here.
Does it freeze?
Yes.
Storage & Reheating
Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Reheat microwave gently adding a splash of water to prevent dry noodles.
Freezer: Not recommended.
Why It Works
It keeps the comfort payoff of a baked pasta, but skips the fussy upright-pasta assembly.
The sauce comes together while the pasta cooks, so the hands-on time stays manageable.
Mixing the pasta with the sauce before baking gives you an even, cheesy bite all the way through.
A short bake is enough to melt the cheese and bring everything together without dragging out dinner.
Popular This Week
15
min active
·
45
min total
10
min active
·
30
min total
15
min active
·
30
min total
20
min active
·
30
min total
10
min active
·
25
min total
Ingredients
1
1 lb Rigatoni (or Ziti)
2
1 tbsp olive oil
3
1 medium onion, diced
4
1 lb ground beef, lean preferred
5
3 cloves garlic, minced
6
2 cups marinara sauce
7
2 tbsp tomato paste
8
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
9
1 tsp Italian seasoning
10
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
11
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
12
1/4 tsp black pepper
13
8oz. bag fresh mozzarella, low moisture
Instructions
1
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Get a large pot of well-salted water boiling.
2
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until just al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water.
3
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes.
4
Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
5
Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed.
6
Stir in the marinara, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Simmer for 3–5 minutes.
7
Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if it looks tight.
8
Transfer everything to the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and the Parmesan.
9
Bake for 20–25 minutes, until hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted. Broil for 1–2 minutes at the end if you want extra color.
10
Let it rest for 5–10 minutes, then serve.
Quick Fixes
Too dry? Stir in a splash of pasta water or a little extra marinara before baking.
Too saucy? Let it rest 5–10 minutes before serving so it can settle.
Top browning too fast? Loosely tent with foil for the last few minutes.
Want more flavor? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or Italian seasoning to the sauce.
ingrediENTS
—
1
1 lb Rigatoni (or Ziti)
—
2
1 tbsp olive oil
—
3
1 medium onion, diced
—
4
1 lb ground beef, lean preferred
—
5
3 cloves garlic, minced
—
6
2 cups marinara sauce
—
7
2 tbsp tomato paste
—
8
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
—
9
1 tsp Italian seasoning
—
10
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
—
11
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
—
12
1/4 tsp black pepper
—
13
8oz. bag fresh mozzarella, low moisture
instructions
1
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Get a large pot of well-salted water boiling.
2
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until just al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water.
3
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes.
4
Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
5
Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed.
6
Stir in the marinara, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Simmer for 3–5 minutes.
7
Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if it looks tight.
8
Transfer everything to the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and the Parmesan.
9
Bake for 20–25 minutes, until hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted. Broil for 1–2 minutes at the end if you want extra color.
10
Let it rest for 5–10 minutes, then serve.
High comfort. Low effort. Designed for real weeknights.
RECIPE
Cheesy Baked Rigatoni
20
min active
·
45
min total
·
6
servings
You Might Also Like
One-Pot Pasta
Easy one-pot pasta with sausage, spinach, and a creamy tomato basil sauce in 30 minutes.
10
min active
·
25
min total
DINNER
Easy Lasagna Soup
One-pot lasagna soup with tender pasta, rich tomato broth, and a creamy cheese topping.
15
min active
·
35
min total
DINNER
Recipe Card
Your first week of dinners, free.
5 recipes, one shopping list, Sunday prep plan — instant download.