Julie Clark
Posted:
Baked Rigatoni and Sausage
May contain affiliate links. Disclosure policy.
This Baked Rigatoni and Sausage is a “lazy lasagna” casserole loaded with a homemade tomato sauce and melty cheese.
If you love an Italian casserole, this baked rigatoni is a new one to try. The Italian sausage flavors it perfectly, while the ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan keeps it cheesy and creamy. This rigatoni pasta recipe makes a great make-ahead casserole!
Why This Baked Rigatoni and Sausage Recipe Beats Any Lasagna
I’m a sucker for homemade lasagna. The layers of pasta, red sauce, meats and cheeses bake together in such a delicious way. We have an easy lasagna recipe that is one of our top recipes on Tastes of Lizzy T (and featured in At the Family Table!).
But this recipe for baked rigatoni and sausage will beat lasagna any day.
Rigatoni’s ridges and hollow center catch the sauce and cheese beautifully, so every bite is flavorful. Plus, instead of carefully cutting squares that may fall apart, you can scoop this pasta bake right out of the dish.
This has all the flavors you love of Italian food, just like in our easy lasagna soup, lasagna rollups and ravioli lasagna bake.
Serve with our jalapeño popper dip as an appetizer, then Italian green beans and parmesan breadsticks as a side.
Enjoy! -Julie
Ingredients Needed
This recipe uses common pantry ingredients:
- If you don’t want to use pork sausage, use ground turkey or ground beef to make your own homemade Italian sausage. Hot italian sausage or sweet Italian sausage both work, but will each give a unique flavor profile.
- This baked rigatoni uses a mix of tomato paste, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes for the best tomato flavor.
- 3 cheeses! Ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella make this rigatoni casserole so much creaminess. Don’t like ricotta? Use small curd cottage cheese instead. It’s what I use in my three cheese manicotti.
- The red wine adds a really nice depth to the marinara sauce but if you prefer not to use wine, use the same amount of beef broth with a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Baked Rigatoni and Sausage Casserole
This Baked Rigatoni and Sausage is a "lazy lasagna" casserole loaded with a homemade tomato sauce and 3 cheeses.
Servings 8
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes 1 can
- 14 ounces tomato sauce 1 can
- 1/2 cup dry red wine or beef stock
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Salt a large pot of boiling water and cook the pasta. Refer to the packaging for a specific time and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside. You can begin making the sauce while the pasta is cooking. 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and brown it while also breaking it up into smaller pieces. 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound Italian sausage
- Add in the shallot and garlic when the meat is mostly cooked. Stir in the tomato paste until it has blended in. 1 shallot, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Add the can of crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Mix well and bring to a low simmer for about 18-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The sauce should have thickened. 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 14 ounces tomato sauce, ½ cup dry red wine, 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Combine the ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg and half the chopped parsley. Mix well until smooth. 1 cup ricotta cheese, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray. Begin layering the ingredients, starting with adding some sauce to the bottom of the dish. Add half the pasta then add drops of the ricotta mixture using about half the amount.
- Layer more sauce over the pasta and top with half the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with the remaining pasta, ricotta and ending with a layer of sauce and mozzarella. 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Place on a baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil, baking for 20 minutes. Uncover the dish and bake for another 10-15 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is melted and golden. Allow the dish to rest for a few minutes then garnish with remaining chopped parsley.
Notes
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 8, with 1 serving being ⅛ of the casserole. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 704kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 1517mg | Potassium: 867mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1132IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 416mg | Iron: 4mg
How to Make Baked Rigatoni and Sausage: Step by Step
Cook the pasta. Boil the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Make the meat sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and start to brown. Add in the shallot and garlic when the meat is mostly cooked. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the can of crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Mix well and bring to a low simmer for about 18-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Mix the cheese filling. Combine the ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg and half the chopped parsley. Mix well until smooth.
Assemble the casserole. Preheat your oven to 375°F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Begin layering the ingredients, starting with adding some sauce to the bottom of the dish. Add half the pasta then add drops of the ricotta mixture using about half the amount. Layer more sauce over the pasta and top with half the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with the remaining pasta, ricotta and ending with a layer of sauce and mozzarella.
Bake. Place on a baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil, baking for 20 minutes. Uncover the dish and bake for another 10-15 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is melted and golden brown. Serve the baked rigatoni and sausage warm.
