"A quick baked pasta weeknight meal, that taste like you made it over the weekend."
Baked Rigatoni with Ricotta and Meat Sauce
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Recipe Intro From themosthungry
This baked rigatoni with ricotta and meat sauce is a quick and comforting weeknight meal that tastes like you spent all weekend preparing it. This hearty pasta dish combines perfectly cooked rigatoni with a rich meat sauce and creamy ricotta, making it a family favorite that everyone will love.
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Prep time 15mins
Cook time 50mins
Serves or Makes: 6 servings
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 15 ounces ricotta
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan, divided
- Olive oil, for drizzling
Method
Step 1
In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and diced onions together over medium heat. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. If there is an excess of grease from the ground beef, drain some off.
Step 2
Add the canned tomatoes to the skillet, crushing them if using whole tomatoes. Cover the skillet and let the sauce simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and seasoning to taste.
Step 3
While the sauce is simmering, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 4
In a separate large pot, bring water to a boil and salt it generously. Cook the rigatoni according to the package instructions, but reduce the cooking time by about a quarter. For example, if the pasta takes 12 minutes to cook, boil it for about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta once cooked.
Step 5
In a large mixing bowl, toss the drained rigatoni with the meat sauce until evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish. Top the pasta with generous dollops of ricotta cheese, then sprinkle with ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese and drizzle with olive oil.
Step 6
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and switch the oven to broil. Broil the dish until the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
Step 7
Once finished, remove the dish from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Before serving, top with additional grated Parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!