This Baked Vegetarian Rigatoni Pasta Recipe is a great weeknight meal and easy casserole. We all need easy dinner ideas, so you need to add this Baked Rigatoni to the list. It’s a crowd-pleasing pasta bake that you can easily make ahead of time. It’s the perfect comfort food!
Baked Rigatoni/ Pasta Recipe
One of my family’s favorite dinners is baked pasta and at the top of the list is this baked rigatoni. It’s hearty, cozy, and satisfying – the perfect dinner when everyone is craving delicious comfort food!
This is a vegetarian meal that would be perfect for family gatherings, or holidays.
This Family-friendly Casserole is loaded with perfectly cooked rigatoni noodles smothered in a flavorful homemade marinara sauce and packed with a creamy ricotta mixture. Then, generously sprinkled with gooey mozzarella cheese, this Italian-inspired dish is a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds.
If you like this recipe idea, be sure to check out my Baked Spaghetti Casserole
INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- PASTA: Rigatoni pasta has beautiful ridges that hold onto all the sauce and cheese. You can use almost any noodle for this dish, but I would recommend the rigatoni, rotini, or penne.
- SAUCE: In this recipe, I use 3 cups of marinara sauce. if you like your pasta on a saucy side add an extra cup. Use Marinara sauce or your favorite tomato sauce will work well too! Take a look at this Homemade MARINARA SAUCE RECIPE
- ITALIAN SEASONING – Italian seasoning adds the perfect amount of aromatic flavor.
- RICOTTA CHEESE
- MOZZARELLA CHEESE: For best results, I recommend shredding your mozzarella cheese instead of using pre-shredded cheese. This is because pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking agents that can hinder the melting process.
- PARMESAN
- FRESH BASIL & PARSLEY
- SALT & PEPPER
HOW TO MAKE THIS EASY VEGETARIAN BAKED RIGATONI
Cook the rigatoni
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil ( about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt), and cook the pasta until al dente. Don’t overcook your pasta. In fact, you want it a little undercooked, so cook it for the shortest amount of time offered on the package. It should still have a little bite when you drain it since it will continue to cook while it’s in the oven.
While the pasta cooks, you can prepare the rest of the dish.
Next, add the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large saucepan. Place it on the stove over medium-high heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
Then, in a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta and parmesan cheese, season with Italian seasoning, a pinch of salt and black pepper. Add parsley and basil and stir to combine.
Let’s prepare the toppings:
In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese, basil, and parsley. I also like to have freshly shredded mozzarella cheese easily accessible.
By now, the pasta is cooked.
Preheat oven to 350ºF
Remove the pasta from the stove, drain it, and place it in a baking dish. Then, pour half of the sauce and stir to combine. Add mozzarella cheese and incorporate. Place lumps of the ricotta mixture all over the pasta and fold in gently, just enough to mix.
Add the remaining sauce, sprinkle the basil, and mix just enough to combine. Add the remaining sauce, sprinkle with the basil and parsley, and spread it.
Then, let’s cover the top with a combination of breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until pasta is bubbly and cheese is melted and browned.
Sprinkle with parsley. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.
Vegetarian Baked Rigatoni/ Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (16oz) Rigatoni Pasta
- 1 (40 oz.) Raos's marinara sauce Use any Marinara sauce or your favorite tomato sauce will work well too!
- 1 10 oz diced tomatoes and green chilies regular diced tomatoes works as well!
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 15oz riccotta cheese
- 2 cups mozarella cheese
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- fresh basil and parsley
- Salt and pepper
Topping
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup breadcrubs
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil ( about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt), and cook the pasta until al dente. Don’t overcook your pasta. In fact, you want it a little undercooked, so cook it for the shortest amount of time offered on the package.
While the pasta cooks, you can prepare the rest of the dish.
- Next, add the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large saucepan. Place it on the stove over medium-high heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- Then, in a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta and parmesan cheese, season with Italian seasoning, a pinch of salt and black pepper. Add parsley and basil and stir to combine.
Let’s prepare the toppings:
- In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese, add some basil, and parsley. I also like to have freshly shredded mozzarella cheese easily accessible.
By now, the pasta is cooked.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF
- Remove the pasta from the stove, drain it, and place it in a baking dish. Then, pour half of the sauce and stir to combine. Add mozzarella cheese and incorporate. Place lumps of the ricotta mixture all over the pasta and fold in gently, just enough to mix.
- Add the remaining sauce, sprinkle the basil, and mix just enough to combine. Add the remaining sauce, sprinkle with the basil and parsley, and spread it.
- Then, let’s cover the top with a combination of breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until pasta is bubbly and cheese is melted and browned.
- Sprinkle with parsley. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.
Nutrition
Tell me what you think of this recipe, and if you have any questions, don’t forget to get in touch with me. I’m always happy to hear from YOU.
Until the next one…
