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Baked Rigatoni pasta with tomato meat sauce on a white plate garnished with fresh basil leaves.

Rigatoni Al Forno (Baked Rigatoni)

Nataliia
Riganoti al forno is a perfect blend of hearty meat sauce, gooey cheese, and pasta baked to golden perfection - all in under 60 minutes.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8
Calories 400 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 skillet
  • 1 high-sided baking dish, 8 x 6 inch
  • 1 large pot
  • 1 spatula

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound (one package) rigatoni pasta
  • 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 26 ounces passata (strained tomatoes) or marinara sauce
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 8 fresh basil leaves
  • 1 teaspoon grated Parmesan, for serving
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt skip if using marinara, it is already seasoned

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190C). Prepare high sided baking dish.
  • In large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking the meat into small pieces with a spatula.
  • Pour passata and stir it to combine with the ground beef. Add roughly chopped fresh basil leaves. Season the sauce with garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add a whole package of rigatoni pasta and boil it for about 8-9 minutes until it just becomes al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the baking dish right away.
  • Combine the meat sauce with the pasta in a baking dish. Stir in one cup of shredded cheese. Sprinkle the second cup of cheese on top.
  • Cover the dish tightly with foil and place it on a baking sheet for catching any splatters. Bake covered for about 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minuted until the top is golden brown.
  • Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool slightly. Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.

Notes

Meat - you can use ground beef, ground pork, Italian sausage or a combination of meats.
Sauce - when I do not have much time, I use a jar of quality marinara sauce, such as Raos.
Pasta - boil pasta for about 7-8 minutes only (very al-dente), it will finish cooking in the oven.
All nutrition facts are only estimate and should be used for information purposes only.

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 46.5gProtein: 26.7gFat: 13.2gCholesterol: 55.4mgSodium: 528mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5.5g
Keyword baked rigatoni, pasta al forno, rigatoni al forno
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