Cheesy Beef Rigatoni Bake (Print Version)
Seasoned beef and creamy tomato sauce tossed with rigatoni and baked under a blanket of melted cheese.
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
2 tablespoons olive oil
02 -
1/2 yellow onion, diced
03 -
450 grams ground beef
04 -
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
05 -
1 teaspoon onion powder
06 -
1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 -
Salt, to taste
08 -
Black pepper, to taste
09 -
680 grams marinara sauce
10 -
120 milliliters heavy whipping cream
11 -
450 grams rigatoni pasta, cooked al dente
12 -
100 grams shredded mozzarella cheese
# Instructions:
01 -
Cook rigatoni in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and reserve for assembly.
02 -
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add ground beef and cook until browned and no pink remains. Drain excess fat.
03 -
Sprinkle Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper over the beef. Stir thoroughly to combine and evenly season.
04 -
Pour marinara sauce and heavy whipping cream into the skillet with the beef. Stir to blend into a creamy tomato sauce.
05 -
Add cooked rigatoni pasta to the sauce mixture. Fold gently to ensure all pasta is coated evenly with sauce.
06 -
Transfer pasta and sauce mixture to a baking dish. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the top.
07 -
Place in a preheated oven at 190°C and bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling.
08 -
Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving hot.
# Notes:
01 -
For enhanced flavor, use freshly grated mozzarella and let the rigatoni rest for a few minutes after baking to set the sauce.