Picture this: bubbling cheese, perfectly cooked pasta tubes filled with creamy ricotta, all blanketed in marinara sauce and baked until golden and gorgeous. That’s baked rigatoni with ricotta, and it’s about to become your new comfort food obsession.
This isn’t some fancy, complicated Italian dish that requires a culinary degree. Nope. It’s the kind of meal you throw together when you need something warm, cheesy, and soul-satisfying without spending your entire evening in the kitchen. It’s perfect for feeding a crowd, meal prepping for the week, or just treating yourself like the pasta-loving royalty you are. Plus, it tastes even better the next day, which is basically the ultimate sign of a great recipe. Let’s get into it.
What Makes This Recipe Awesome
First things first: this recipe is ridiculously forgiving. Seriously, you’d have to try pretty hard to mess this up. Overcook the pasta slightly? The oven will finish it perfectly. Use jarred sauce? Still delicious. Forget an ingredient? You’ll probably be fine. It’s basically foolproof.
Second, it’s a crowd-pleaser of epic proportions. Kids love it, picky eaters love it, your Italian grandmother will probably approve of it (okay, maybe not approve, but she won’t hate it). Everyone at the table will be scraping their plates clean and asking for seconds.
The texture combo here is everything: tender rigatoni, creamy ricotta pockets, gooey melted mozzarella, and that slightly crispy, golden cheese crust on top. It’s like a warm hug in casserole form. Comfort food at its finest.
And here’s the best part: you can prep this entire thing ahead of time. Assemble it in the morning, stick it in the fridge, then pop it in the oven when you’re ready to eat. Future you will be so grateful. Talk about a weeknight dinner MVP.
Shopping List – Ingredients
Here’s what you need to create this cheesy masterpiece:
For the pasta:
- 1 lb rigatoni pasta (the tubes are essential for maximum sauce and cheese capture)
- Salt for pasta water (don’t skip this—it’s your only chance to season the pasta)
For the ricotta mixture:
- 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese (full-fat is the way to go here)
- 1 large egg (helps bind everything together)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (the good stuff, not the shaky can)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (you’ll need this for mixing and topping)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried if that’s what you’ve got)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder (because garlic makes everything better)
- Salt and pepper to taste (season generously, folks)
For the sauce:
- 24 oz marinara sauce (homemade or jarred—we don’t judge)
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional but adds nice depth)
- Fresh basil for garnish (optional but makes you look like you know what you’re doing)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preheat and prep.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with a little olive oil or cooking spray. This prevents the pasta from sticking and makes cleanup way easier.
2. Cook that rigatoni.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook it until it’s just al dente—usually about 2 minutes less than the package directions say. It’ll finish cooking in the oven, so you don’t want it fully cooked yet. Drain and set aside.
3. Mix up the ricotta filling.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, 1 cup of the mozzarella (save the other cup for topping), parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until everything is well combined and creamy. Taste it—if it needs more seasoning, add it now.
4. Combine pasta, ricotta, and sauce.
Add the cooked rigatoni to the ricotta mixture and toss until all the pasta is coated. Pour in about three-quarters of the marinara sauce and gently fold everything together. You want every piece of pasta to be surrounded by cheesy, saucy goodness.
5. Assemble in the baking dish.
Transfer the pasta mixture to your prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining cup of mozzarella. Don’t be shy with the cheese—this is not the time for restraint.
6. Bake until bubbly and golden.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to turn golden brown in spots. If you want extra browning, turn on the broiler for the last 2-3 minutes, but watch it like a hawk so it doesn’t burn.
7. Let it rest and serve.
Let the baked rigatoni rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving. This helps everything set up and makes it easier to portion. Garnish with fresh basil if you’re feeling fancy, then dig in and enjoy the cheesy heaven you just created.
Health Benefits
Okay, so baked rigatoni isn’t exactly health food, but there are some nutritional bright spots here:
Ricotta cheese is actually pretty nutritious! It’s a good source of protein and calcium, which support muscle growth and bone health. It also contains vitamins A and B12, plus it’s easier to digest than some other cheeses because of its whey content.
Pasta provides carbohydrates for energy. If you want to boost the nutrition, use whole wheat rigatoni for extra fiber, which aids digestion and keeps you fuller longer.
Tomatoes (in the marinara) are packed with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that supports heart health and may reduce cancer risk. They’re also loaded with vitamins C and K, potassium, and folate.
Mozzarella cheese offers calcium and protein, plus it contains probiotics that can support gut health. It’s also relatively low in sodium compared to other cheeses.
Parsley isn’t just a garnish—it’s actually loaded with vitamins K, C, and A, plus antioxidants that support bone health and immune function.
Look, this isn’t a salad, but it’s comfort food with some redeeming qualities. Balance exists, people.
Avoid These Mistakes
Overcooking the pasta before baking.
This is the number one mistake people make. If you cook the rigatoni all the way through, it’ll be mushy after baking. Aim for 2 minutes under al dente. Trust the process.
Using part-skim or fat-free ricotta.
Please don’t do this. Full-fat ricotta makes this dish creamy and delicious. Low-fat versions can be grainy and watery. This is comfort food—embrace the richness.
Not seasoning the ricotta mixture.
Ricotta is pretty bland on its own. Season it well with salt, pepper, and those other flavorings. Taste as you go and adjust. Under-seasoned filling = disappointing baked rigatoni.
Skipping the foil in the first part of baking.
If you don’t cover it initially, the top will brown too quickly while the inside is still cold. Cover for the first 20 minutes, then uncover to get that gorgeous golden cheese crust.
Not letting it rest before serving.
I know you’re hungry, but if you slice into it immediately, everything will be liquidy and fall apart. Give it 5-10 minutes to set up. Patience is a virtue, especially with baked pasta.
Using a baking dish that’s too small.
If you cram everything into a tiny dish, it won’t cook evenly and might overflow in the oven. A 9×13-inch dish is the sweet spot for this recipe.
Variations You Can Try
Add protein:
Brown some Italian sausage, ground beef, or ground turkey and mix it in with the sauce. Leftover rotisserie chicken would also be amazing here.
Load up on veggies:
Sauté some spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, or bell peppers and fold them into the pasta mixture. It adds nutrition and makes you feel less guilty about all that cheese.
Make it spicy:
Use spicy Italian sausage or add red pepper flakes to the sauce. A drizzle of hot honey on top before serving is also chef’s kiss.
Try different cheeses:
Swap some of the mozzarella for provolone, fontina, or even some crumbled goat cheese mixed into the ricotta. Get creative with it.
Use different pasta:
Penne, ziti, or shells all work great here. Just stick with tube or shell shapes that can hold sauce and cheese.
Make it lighter:
Use whole wheat pasta, add tons of veggies, and use part-skim mozzarella. It won’t be quite as indulgent, but it’ll still be tasty.
Add a crunchy topping:
Mix some panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and Parmesan, then sprinkle on top before the final uncovered baking. Adds a nice textural contrast.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I make this ahead of time?
Absolutely! Assemble the entire dish, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Just add 10-15 minutes to the covered baking time since it’ll be cold from the fridge.
Can I freeze baked rigatoni?
Yep! Either freeze it before baking or after. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Frozen unbaked rigatoni can go straight from freezer to oven (add 20-30 minutes to bake time). Baked rigatoni should be thawed overnight in the fridge before reheating.
What if I don’t have rigatoni?
Use penne, ziti, shells, or any tube-shaped pasta. The shape matters less than you think—just avoid long noodles like spaghetti or fettuccine.
Can I use cottage cheese instead of ricotta?
You can, but the texture will be different. If you do, blend the cottage cheese first to make it smoother, or it’ll be lumpy.
Do I have to use an egg in the ricotta mixture?
The egg helps bind everything together and gives it structure, but you can skip it if needed. The dish will be a bit looser but still delicious.
How do I know when it’s done?
The cheese should be melted and bubbly, and you should see some golden-brown spots on top. If you stick a knife in the center, it should come out hot.
What should I serve with this?
A simple green salad with vinaigrette, garlic bread, or roasted veggies. Honestly though, it’s pretty complete on its own—carbs, protein, dairy, and tomatoes all in one dish.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it—Baked Rigatoni with Ricotta that’s cozy, cheesy, and completely irresistible. This is the kind of dish that makes your house smell amazing, brings people to the dinner table without asking twice, and leaves everyone feeling happy and satisfied.
Whether you’re feeding a family, prepping meals for the week, or just need some serious comfort food in your life, this recipe delivers every single time. It’s simple enough for a Tuesday night but impressive enough for company. That’s the sweet spot, right there.
So grab your ingredients, preheat that oven, and get ready to make some seriously delicious baked pasta. Your future self (and your taste buds) will thank you. Now stop reading and start cooking—you’ve got some rigatoni to bake!
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