Easy Baked Rigatoni with Sausage

Close-up of cheesy baked pasta with sausage and mozzarella

5 from 1 vote

Easy Baked Rigatoni with Sausage

This baked rigatoni with sausage is a hearty baked pasta casserole made with rigatoni, marinara sauce, ricotta, and layers of melted cheese. It’s an easy baked rigatoni recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights, make-ahead meals, or feeding a crowd.

Prep Time15

1 5

Course: casserole, Main Course, Main dish

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 539Kcal

Author: Susan Moncrieff

Ingredients

1 pound Rigatoni pasta Ziti can be substituted
1 pound ground beef cooked and crumbled I use 15% fat ground beef. Both ground beef and sausage can be browned together.
½ pound Italian sausage Mild or spicy depending on your family's preferences.
32 oz Marinara sauce Containers contain various sizes now! If you use anywhere from 28 - 32 oz, the recipe will be fine. I like Rao's brand.
15 oz Ricotta Cheese
2 cups Mozzarella Shredded. Reserve about ⅔ cup to sprinkle on top. If I have extra cheese at home, I'll sometimes add more to the top to make it cheesier.
½ cup Parmesan grated
2 Eggs to mix into ricotta and cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or oregano for the sauce and some to sprinkle on top.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Boil pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and sausage. I brown them together. Drain excess grease. Add marinara sauce and oregano and simmer for a few minutes.
In a medium bowl, mix ricotta, half the mozzarella, and eggs.
In a large baking dish, layer as follows: about ⅓ of sauce on the bottom, then all the pasta, top the pasta with all the ricotta mixture, then add the balance of the tomato/meat sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.Some people like doing 2 layers of each but I have always just done it as above (it's easier and faster.)!
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10–15 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.

Notes

Rigatoni works especially well in this baked rigatoni with sausage because the ridges hold onto the marinara sauce and melted cheese, giving every bite plenty of flavor. If you don’t have rigatoni on hand, other tube pastas like ziti, penne, or mostaccioli can be used with the same method.

For best results, cook the rigatoni just until al dente before baking so it doesn’t become too soft in the oven. This baked rigatoni recipe can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 2 days, making it a great option for busy weeknights or meal prep.

If you prefer a softer, creamier baked pasta casserole, you can leave out the eggs in the ricotta mixture. Keeping the eggs in will help the baked rigatoni hold its shape when sliced after baking.

Nutrition (estimate)