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Rigatoni with Pesto and Ricotta from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)
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4.66 from 20 votes

Baked Rigatoni

This Baked Rigatoni is truly one of my favorite weeknight meals when I'm needing something flavorful, fast and comforting! 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course, Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 10 people
Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

  • 1 pound medium rigatoni
  • 1 pound sweet Italian chicken sausage
  • 1 onion roughly chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 ½ cups crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 1 cup fresh mozzarella cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 cup ricotta
  • ½ cup fresh pesto
  • Basil to garnish
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Cook the rigatoni according to package directions. Drain the pasta, and set it aside.
  • Remove the casings from the sausage. In a large skillet, combine the sausage, onion, and herbs over medium heat until browned, for about 10 minutes until the meat is golden brown. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds before adding the crushed tomatoes and heavy cream and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
  • Combine cooked pasta and sausage mixture, and the shredded mozzarella and stir to combine. Place the pasta mixture in a large casserole dish. Top with the fresh mozzarella, ricotta and pesto and bake for 15 minutes covered with tin foil and then an additional 15 minutes uncovered until bubbly. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • This recipe calls for rigatoni, but feel free to substitute it for any other type of short pasta
  • You want to let the sausage get golden brown. Those brown bits on the bottom of your pan - they are GOLD. Let the meat cook and sear, don't stir to too much and really develop that flavor.
  • Same goes for the onions. You want them to get nice and golden. If you just sweat them until they are translucent, you're loosing some of the flavor!

Nutrition

Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 705mg | Potassium: 476mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 862IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 241mg | Iron: 2mg