Made with ground sausage and beef, cheese, and rigatoni, this baked rigatoni is a quick and easy delicious recipe! It’s a meat lover’s dream!
I love to serve it with a side salad and cheesy garlic bread for a complete dinner meal.
I must warn you that this recipe is super meaty and saucy! If you hate dry pasta dishes, this recipe is for you. It’s incredibly delicious and a crowd-pleaser!
INGREDIENT NOTES & SUBSTITUTIONS
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Marinara Sauce and Alfredo Sauce – Store-bought or homemade will work.
- Canned Tomatoes – Optional but adds texture and great flavor. It also makes the meat sauce a lot saucier.
- Pasta – Any type of pasta will work for this recipe.
- Cheese – Although I used fresh mozzarella, feel free to use shredded mozzarella cheese instead.
- Ground Beef and Ground Sausage – I used 1 lb of ground beef and 1 lb of ground sausage, but feel free to use only ground beef if you’re not a fan of sausage. If using only ground beef, use 2 lbs instead of 1 lb.
TOP TIPS
- Make sure to check for seasoning before placing it in the oven. If it needs more salt and pepper, add it before you top it off with cheese.
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until it’s al dente for best results.
- If you don’t want to bake the rigatoni, you don’t have to! Simply add the cheese straight to the pot, and it will melt with the heat from the meat sauce.
- Feel free to season the meat sauce to your liking, add the spices of your choice.
STORAGE
Place any leftovers in an air-tight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave until heated through.
Tried this baked rigatoni recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Baked Rigatoni
Ingredients
- 1 lb rigatoni pasta
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground sausage
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 24.5 oz marinara sauce
- 15 oz alfredo sauce
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese fresh or shredded
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil optional
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add the ground beef and sausage to a large pot and brown it completely. This should take about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the marinara sauce, Alfredo sauce, canned tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and fresh basil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes.
- Once the 15 minutes are up, check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
- Stir in the cooked pasta and then transfer it to a baking dish. Top it off with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese, and bake for 5 minutes uncoverd.
- Broil for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese melts completely. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure to check for seasoning before placing it in the oven. If it needs more salt and pepper, add it before you top it off with cheese.
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until it’s al dente for best results.
- If you don’t want to bake the rigatoni, you don’t have to! Simply add the cheese straight to the pot, and it will melt with the heat from the meat sauce.
- Feel free to season the meat sauce to your liking, add the spices of your choice.
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