Baked Rigatoni | Little House Big Alaska

The best kind of comfort food, this baked rigatoni has all the savory flavor you crave in the cooler months. With minimal ingredients, this pasta bake comes together easily and can work for a busy weeknight dinner or a more formal gathering.

A delicate balance of comfort and indulgence, this baked rigatoni is versatile but easy. Made with a base of marinara sauce, ground pork, and minimal seasonings, the casserole is baked together to give you a creamy, rich flavor in every bite.

Plus, this casserole can be meal prepped in advance to save yourself time in the kitchen. Whip it up the night before you make it or gift this pasta bake to a friend as part of a meal train. A tasty recipe for any occasion.

What Do I Need To Make This Baked Rigatoni?

Pasta bakes are amazing because you don’t need much in the way of ingredients for them to come together. A few pantry staples, some protein, and you’re set for dinner.

• Rigatoni noodles
• Ground pork
• Salt and pepper
• Jar of marinara sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• Olive oil
• Fresh basil for presentation

Tip To Make The Best Pasta Bake

When you’re browning the pork, let a bit stick to the bottom of the pan before scraping it around. The browned bits tend to be the tastiest ones and make for a delicious casserole.

If you can, shred your own mozzarella cheese. It tends to melt better than buying the pre-shredded bag and the result is a gooey blend throughout the pasta.

You can dress this baked rigatoni up by sprinkling on some fresh basil once it’s done cooking. The bright contrast is stunning when you place it on the table.

How To Vary The Recipe

A pasta bake can really be anything you need it to be. Below are a few easy and tasty swaps for the days you want to switch it up.

Protein: Though ground pork is used, lean ground beef, ground chicken, or even leftover rotisserie chicken can be mixed in.

Spice: If your family likes it hot, adding some cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or even hot sauce to the dish is a fun way to spice it up. You could top the casserole with sliced jalapenos as well for a nice green punch.

Vegetables: Though none are listed, you could add some frozen peas, finely sliced broccoli, or diced mushrooms to the mix if you want to bulk it up a little bit.

What to serve with this casserole

This baked noodle dish can be served with a simple side salad and bread. I think this Dutch Oven Bread would be great and so would these Garlic Knots!

How To Store It

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge or freezer. Let the pasta casserole cool fully before moving it to an airtight container (or freezer-safe container). In the fridge, it will last up to two days.
In the freezer, the baked rigatoni will last 1-2 months. To enjoy it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheating the casserole: You can reheat the pasta in the microwave in intervals. However, it will taste much better, and the top will crisp up slightly if you reheat it in the oven until warmed through. You may need to add a splash of water to the dish so that the pasta comes back creamy and not dense.

Meal Prepping The Casserole

If you’re planning to make this casserole dish in advance, follow all the instructions up to the assembly of the dish (without adding on the basil). If you’re just making it for the next day, wrap it in aluminum foil and pop it in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature before you sprinkle on the fresh basil and bake it in the oven.

If storing it in the freezer, make sure to assemble the pasta in a freezer-safe tray. Once put together, wrap the container in plastic wrap and again in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and again at room temperature. Then remove both wrappings from the dish.
Bake it as per the instructions.

Every bite of this casserole is delicious combination of textures and flavors that will leave you craving more. Perfect for weeknight dinners or impressing guests, this dish is the epitome of comfort and indulgence.

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 543kcal

Print Recipe

• 16 ounce dry rigatoni
• 1 t olive oil
• 1 lb ground lean pork
• 1 t salt
• 1 t pepper
• 1 – 15 oz marinara sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• Chopped fresh basil optional

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

• In a large stock pot, boil a pot of water with 1 T salt, cook the dry rigatoni noodles al dente (about 10 minutes), drain when done, you can proceed with the recipe while the noodles cook

• Spray a 13×9 or similar size baking dish with non-stick spray

• in a large frying pan, heat the olive oil, when it’s hot, add the ground pork and brown until no longer pink, drain off the excess grease

• add the jar of marinara, salt and pepper to the cooked ground pork

• add the noodles and stir the mixture to coat

• transfer the noodle and meat mixture to your prepared baking dish and spread evenly

• sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella cheese

• bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned

• Allow to cool slightly before serving

• optional: sprinkle with chopped basil to serve

Storage: Pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.  Reheat before serving.

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 574mg | Potassium: 418mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 154IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 2mg