Baked Rigatoni Pasta: the easy classic recipe

Baked rigatoni pasta is a classic casserole recipe made with tomato sauce, mozzarella or scamorza cheese and béchamel sauce. Perfect for a family dinner, this tasty dish is very easy and quick to prepare. You can even cook it ahead of time, even the night before if necessary, in order to allow the pasta to better absorb the aromas of the sauce and be even more delicious. You can customize it as you want and use any kind of pasta or other ingredient.

How to make Baked Rigatoni Pasta

Make the tomato sauce. Finely chop the onion.

Sauté it in a pan for a few minutes.

Add the tomato and a clove of garlic, season with salt, and leave on the heat for about 45 minutes.

Once the sauce is ready, boil the pasta in plenty of salted water and drain when al dente. Season the pasta with the tomato sauce.

Add finely chopped basil and oregano to taste. Add a couple of tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and mix well. Pour the seasoned pasta into a baking dish. Top with béchamel sauce and grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake the pasta for about 15 minutes at 200° and during the last 5 minutes turn on the grill in order to form a delicious crust. Serve the red baked pasta still hot.

Tips for the Perfect Baked Rigatoni Pasta

– You should never forget to grease the bottom and sides of a baking dish with butter so the pasta doesn't stick during cooking. If you don't want to use butter, you can brush the sides of the baking dish with oil.

– The secret to making gratin is in the Parmesan cheese. If you prefer a crispier baked pasta, mix it with breadcrumbs and a little butter. Make it evenly browned without overdoing the ingredients.

– Serve baked rigatoni pasta with a green salad or dinner rolls.

Baked Rigatoni Pasta Variations

– You can make this baked rigatoni pasta dairy-free by replacing the cheese with a dairy-free one or leaving it out.

– To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta instead of regular rigatoni.

– You can customize this recipe as you prefer. Use another kind of pasta or add your favorite ingredients including ground beef, vegetables and stringy cheeses.

– White baked pasta is a twist on the more traditional red baked pasta. First make the béchamel sauce following the classic recipe and set it aside. Boil 400 grams of pasta in plenty of salted water and drain slightly al dente. Dress the pasta with the béchamel sauce and pour it into an oven dish. Sprinkle the surface with a layer of grated Parmesan cheese and bake for about 10 minutes at 180° and the last 5 minutes turn on the grill function to create a delicious crust. This baked pasta with broccoli, bacon and cheese is the perfect example.

– Neapolitan-style baked pasta is usually prepared during the holidays. The recipe calls for fried meatballs, scamorza cheese, Neapolitan salami, tomato sauce and grated Parmesan cheese. Layers of pasta are placed in the baking pan and are completed with a sprinkling of bread crumbs and parmesan cheese before placing the pan in the oven in order to make the pasta rusty.

Can you make Rigatoni Pasta Bake ahead?

Yes! To make the baked rigatoni pasta ahead of time, follow the recipe up to the baking step. Then cover it with a tin foil, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and finish cooking before serving. You could add a little bit of water to keep it from drying out while in the refrigerator.

How to freeze Baked Rigatoni Pasta

You can easily freeze this baked rigatoni pasta recipe. Cover it in plastic wrap and tin foil, then freeze in it for up to 2 months. Before serving, cover it with foil and reheat the rigatoni pasta bake in the oven for about 1 hour at 350°F.