Easy Baked Rigatoni With Ground Beef (Printable)

Comforting pasta casserole with ground beef, marinara, and melted cheeses. Ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound rigatoni
02 - Salt for boiling water

→ Meat & Base

03 - 1 pound ground beef, 85% lean recommended
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

06 - 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
07 - 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
10 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper

→ Cheese

12 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
13 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 1 cup ricotta cheese

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Add diced onion to the skillet and cook 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour in marinara sauce and crushed tomatoes. Add oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer on low for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - In a large bowl, combine drained pasta, meat sauce, and ricotta cheese. Mix gently to coat evenly.
07 - Spoon half the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella and Parmesan. Add remaining pasta, then top with remaining cheeses.
08 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake for another 10–15 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.
10 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Everything bakes in one dish so cleanup is practically nonexistent
  • The cheese gets perfectly bubbly and golden while the pasta stays tender
  • It makes fantastic leftovers and actually tastes better the next day
02 -
  • Do not overcook the pasta during boiling or you will end up with mush after baking
  • Drain the ground beef well if there is excess fat, or the final dish will feel greasy
  • The ricotti works best when mixed into the hot pasta rather than layered in separate dollops
03 -
  • Let the meat sauce cool slightly before mixing with the pasta so the ricotta does not break down
  • Use the back of your spoon to create swirls on top, which give you extra crispy cheese edges

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