Baked Rigatoni with Meat Sauce Recipe
A comforting and hearty baked rigatoni dish featuring a rich homemade meat sauce and creamy béchamel, layered with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and baked until golden and bubbly. Perfect for a family dinner or special occasion, this recipe combines classic Italian flavors with a satisfying texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 16 ounces rigatoni
Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pound 85% to 90% lean ground beef
- 28 ounces crushed Italian style tomatoes
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
- Freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- ⅓ cup red wine
- ½ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
Béchamel Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup 2% milk, slightly warmed
- Dash ground nutmeg
Cheese
- 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (or more, as desired)
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the rigatoni later.
- Cook the rigatoni: Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water, cooking it for 2 minutes less than the package directions indicate to keep it firm for baking.
- Prepare the meat sauce: In a Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add diced onion and minced garlic; cook until tender and fragrant. Add ground beef and cook thoroughly, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease. Return to heat and add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, red wine, and fresh basil. Simmer on low heat to meld flavors.
- Make the béchamel sauce: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Sprinkle in flour and whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in slightly warmed milk and nutmeg. Increase heat to medium, continuing to whisk until the sauce thickens into a creamy consistency. Remove from heat.
- Assemble the dish: Drain the rigatoni well and combine it with the meat sauce in the pasta pot. Spray a large casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Layer half of the pasta mixture in the dish, drizzle half the béchamel sauce over it, and sprinkle with half the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat layering with remaining pasta mixture, béchamel, and cheeses.
- Bake the rigatoni: Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 5 minutes until the top is lightly golden and bubbly.
Notes
- Cooking pasta slightly under al dente prevents it from becoming mushy after baking.
- Using lean ground beef reduces excess fat and grease in the sauce.
- Red wine adds depth and richness to the meat sauce but can be omitted or substituted with beef broth if preferred.
- Fresh basil imparts a bright herbal note, but dried basil can be substituted in smaller amounts.
- When making béchamel, whisk constantly to avoid lumps and achieve a smooth texture.
- Feel free to adjust cheese quantities based on your preference for cheesiness.
Keywords: Baked rigatoni, meat sauce, Italian pasta bake, béchamel sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, comfort food, casserole
