Baked rigatoni is a comforting, family-style pasta dish that’s perfect for everything from casual weeknights to Sunday dinners. With just a handful of ingredients, this cheesy, saucy casserole delivers bold flavor and a cozy, satisfying bite. It’s an easy go-to recipe when you’re craving a hearty pasta bake that’s simple to prepare and always a hit.
This baked rigatoni and sausage dish is a fun twist on a classic baked rigatoni recipe, and it’s easy to adapt based on what you have in your kitchen. Italian sausage adds richness, but you can swap it for cast iron skillet meatball for a more rustic feel. The pasta bake also pairs well with lighter fare like penne pasta pomodoro if you’re serving a crowd and want variety. Each bite is packed with flavor, making it one of those recipes you’ll come back to again and again.
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Why We Love Baked Rigatoni and Sausage
- It’s perfect for meal prep!
Bake it all the way to enjoy for up to three days, or freeze for months to bake later on. - You can substitute proteins and vegetables for whatever is seasonal, on sale, or suits your cravings on any given day.
- There’s so much room to customize, including using different types of noodles or adding a bit of spice to keep things interesting!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Rigatoni: We love rigatoni pasta recipes — that’s why we have so many of them here on TFN. Good substitutes for rigatoni, if need be, are penne and ziti.
- Italian sausage: Other ground proteins can be used in place of sausage in this rigatoni recipe. Chicken and turkey are both lean, tasty options, but even a meatless alternative will take on the sauce and seasonings well.
- Sauce: Consider a couple of different sauce options: a quick, easy homemade San Marzano sauce, a meat sauce for extra protein, or a quick and painless store-bought pasta sauce.
- Mozzarella: Provolone or cheddar are good substitutes, but you can also use them alongside the mozzarella!
- Parmesan: Nothing will melt as well as freshly grated cheese, especially nothing that comes in a bag or little green container!
Recipe Variations
- Ground beef and mushroom baked rigatoni: Swap out the sausage for ground beef sautéed with chopped onions and sliced mushrooms in olive oil. This hearty version brings out deep, savory flavors and pairs perfectly with a rich tomato sauce. Be sure to season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste, then stir into your pasta mixture and bake until bubbling.
- Spinach and ricotta layered rigatoni: Turn your classic casserole into a lasagna-style layer bake by alternating your rigatoni with a creamy blend of ricotta cheese, sautéed spinach, and carrots. Use extra virgin olive oil for sautéing to add a subtle fruity flavor. Finish with a sprinkle of mozzarella and bake until golden on top.
- Ground turkey and veggie rigatoni bake: For a lighter option, brown ground turkey over medium heat with onions, diced zucchini, and carrots. Add a jar of your favorite tomato sauce and toss with the cooked rigatoni. Top with cheese and bake as usual for a wholesome twist on the original.
- Sausage and roasted veggie pasta casserole: Enhance your baked rigatoni and sausage by stirring in roasted eggplant, bell peppers, and mushrooms. These veggies add a smoky depth and a satisfying texture. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over the top before baking to bring all the flavors together.
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- Skillet
- Casserole dish
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
In a hurry? Make this rigatoni pasta recipe no bake! After cooking the pasta, just mix in the other ingredients. Stir well, allowing the cheeses to melt. Then serve.
How to Make Baked Rigatoni Recipe
- Boil the pasta
Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Once boiling, salt the water generously and add the rigatoni pasta. Cook until just al dente according to the package directions, then drain and set aside. Keep in mind that the casserole will finish baking in the oven. To prevent the rigatoni from overcooking and becoming soggy, simply boil it for about 2 minutes less than the package instructions recommend. - Brown the sausage
While the pasta is cooking, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook until browned and fully cooked, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain any excess fat and remove from heat. There will be a bit of visible fat in the pan after browning the Italian sausage. Take a moment to drain it off before mixing it in with the pasta. Otherwise, the greasy flavor and consistency will take over the entire pasta bake. - Preheat the oven
Set your oven to 350°F to preheat while you assemble the casserole.
- Mix the ingredients
In a casserole dish, combine the cooked rigatoni and browned sausage. Pour in your favorite marinara sauce (or homemade San Marzano marinara) and mix everything together until the pasta is well coated.
- Add the cheese
Nestle slices of mozzarella cheese throughout the dish so they melt evenly into the pasta. Sprinkle grated parmesan over the top to create a golden, savory crust.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Shred the cheeses yourself.
For the best flavor and meltability, we recommend that you use blocks of cheese – it only takes a couple of minutes to grate/shred it yourself. Packages of shredded cheese include an anti-caking agent that can affect how well the cheese melts.
- Bake
Transfer the dish to your preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the top is bubbly and slightly golden.
- Serve
Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Garnish with extra parmesan or fresh basil if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
A delicious garlic bread is never out of place next to this pasta casserole. Other crusty breads like sourdough or French bread are great options for soaking up any sauce on your plate!
For a bit of healthy greens on the plate, consider serving Instant Pot green beans or a garden salad.
Recipe FAQs
The shape of the short, ridged tubes brings a lot of sauce into each bite!
Hearty meat sauces go very well with nearly any rigatoni recipe. For those who want a meatless pasta dish, marinara and alfredo are great choices.
You can, and it’s a great way to meal prep and save time! Go ahead and prep everything as per recipe instructions but don’t bake it. Instead, cover and freeze. It will keep for a few months! Just keep in mind that it will need extra baking time to warm all the way through.
Baked rigatoni can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. To reheat, put it right back in the oven at 350°F. Cook until the casserole warms through and the cheese is bubbling on the surface.
Love Pasta Recipes? Here’s More…
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Baked Rigatoni
Equipment
- skillet
- casserole dish or baking sheet
Ingredients
- 16 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 16 ounces Italian sausage
- 3 cups marinara sauce homemade San Marzano Sauce Marinara or a 26-ounce jar spaghetti sauce.
- 8 slices mozzarella cheese or 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 8 slices.
- 4 ounces grated parmesan cheese use real Parm, not the kind in the green plastic canister.
Instructions
- Fill a stockpot with about 6 quarts of water, for the pasta. Heat on high until boiling.
- In a skillet, brown the sausage. Drain off visible fat. Preheat oven to 350°.
- Add pasta to boiling, salted water and cook according to directions. Drain.
- Mix the pasta and sausage together in the baking dish. Pour over the pasta sauce. Spread mozzarella throughout the casserole. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. See notes below to serve this without baking.
- Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, until the top is bubbly and golden. Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Notes
- What sauces go with rigatoni?
- The shape of the short, ridged tubes brings a lot of sauce into each bite! Hearty meat sauces go very well with nearly any rigatoni recipe. For those who want a
- Ground beef and mushroom baked rigatoni: Swap out the sausage for ground beef sautéed with chopped onions and sliced mushrooms in olive oil. This hearty version brings out deep, savory flavors and pairs perfectly with a rich tomato sauce. Be sure to season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste, then stir into your pasta mixture and bake until bubbling.
- Spinach and ricotta layered rigatoni: Turn your classic casserole into a lasagna-style layer bake by alternating your rigatoni with a creamy blend of ricotta cheese, sautéed spinach, and carrots. Use extra virgin olive oil for sautéing to add a subtle fruity flavor. Finish with a sprinkle of mozzarella and bake until golden on top.
- Ground turkey and veggie rigatoni bake: For a lighter option, brown ground turkey over medium heat with onions, diced zucchini, and carrots. Add a jar of your favorite tomato sauce and toss with the cooked rigatoni. Top with cheese and bake as usual for a wholesome twist on the original.
- Sausage and roasted veggie pasta casserole: Enhance your baked rigatoni and sausage by stirring in roasted eggplant, bell peppers, and mushrooms. These veggies add a smoky depth and a satisfying texture. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over the top before baking to bring all the flavors together.
For the best flavor and meltability, we recommend that you use blocks of cheese – it only takes a couple of minutes to grate/shred it yourself. Packages of shredded cheese include an anti-caking agent that can affect how well the cheese melts. Make-Ahead Instructions
- Go ahead and prep everything as per recipe instructions but don’t bake it. Instead, cover and freeze. It will keep for a few months! It’s best to thaw the dish before baking, but you don’t have to… Just keep in mind that it will need extra baking time to warm all the way through.
- Baked rigatoni with sausage can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, put it right back in the oven at 350°F. Cook until the casserole warms through and the cheese is bubbling on the surface.
Nutrition
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Dianne Handy says
I love to do this recipe in the slow cooker, do you have directions for steps? I work and don’t get home until late. Plus it’s been so hot and humid, slow cooker will give my family something tasty and not heat up my house.
Renae says
If you were to make this in the slow cooker, I’d prepare it as if you were baking it, then refrigerate it in your slow cooker crock (if its removable) while you’re at work. When you get home pop it into the slow cooker and reheat it at high for 2 hours. I just don’t see how you could leave it in the slow cooker all day without it drying out.
Brittany says
I love baked pasta dishes, and this recipe sounds so easy and yummy!
Renae says
I love pasta, too! And, it is so easy that it’s perfect for any night of the week.