Bolognese Rigatoni Pasta Casserole

Make easy and delicious bolognese rigatoni pasta casserole to please your family. It is so cheesy, flavorful, and meaty in a casserole. It is a great option for you who want to get a quality pasta restaurant right at home.

Anne! You make me mouthwatering.

On this day, at lunch, Anne ate baked lasagna in a small bowl at the office. She bought it at a 5-star restaurant that we know popular in the pasta dish menu. I can’t stop to gulp seeing her eat that creamy and cheesy pasta at my sight. I was too shy to ask her a bit. Haha.

After I’m at home, I still thinking how tantalizing Anne’s lasagna. Then, I rush to the kitchen, hoping there are some pasta ingredients left. I’m really excited when there are rigatoni, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, ground beef meat, and some lovely cheeses.

Therefore, I think of how to make lasagna with these left ingredients. My brain cell works hard to create and recall what pasta menu can be made using these ingredients. Afterward, the idea comes suddenly.

I remember I have visited an Italian restaurant to order Baked Ziti. Then, I recall my memory about this taste and look of this menu. I remember it’s simpler than lasagna because it isn’t layered. The sauce tastes like tomato sauce full of cheese.

After that, I decide to make baked ziti with some modifications based on the ingredients left. One important thing is making this menu in a big casserole. I don’t want my family gulping like I did when Anne was eating her lasagna.

Before I try to make it, I conduct some kitchen research to check what I don’t know. It might be useful for you to make the best bolognese rigatoni pasta casserole.

Inspired by baked ziti, what is bolognese rigatoni pasta casserole?

It is actually a rigatoni tossed in a meaty sauce and handfuls of shredded cheese. I add mozzarella cheese also on the top rigatoni bolognese. Otherwise, people know it as ragu alla bolognese or simply ragu. We can say it also baked ziti. The difference is the ingredients and steps.

Besides, this pasta also has some similarities with the lasagna. Yet, the difference between this dish with lasagna is without lots of layers or broken noodles.

The steps are easy and simple. You have to mix the bolognese sauce with cooked rigatoni. Then, add some cottage cheese and bake it. The dish is a little time-consuming but worth it.

The Ingredients of
Bolognese Rigatoni Pasta Casserole

• Uncooked Rigatoni Pasta – Because it is baked pasta, I recommend using rigatoni or penne pasta. The other kinds of pasta have small and thin shapes. They use less liquid to cook. So, the pasta will stay soupy.
• Ground Beef – You can use lean ground beef or other meats if you prefer. You can use ground Italian sausage or ground turkey.
• Olive Oil – You need it for the sauce. It is to stir-fry the sauce ingredients.
• Onion and Garlic – You have to chop them. The sauce will be more aromatic.
• Tomato paste, peeled tomato, Italian seasoning, and fresh thyme – There are some must ingredients for bolognese sauce.
• Some cheese – I use three kinds of cheese. I use mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan cheese. You have to shred or grate them. The mixture of them makes a creamy texture.
• Bread Crumbs – I use it for adding some crunchy texture. If you like creamy texture only, you can skip it.
• Water – To balance the thickness of the sauce.
• Parsley – Chop it for garnish.
• Seasoning – As usual, the main seasoning is a need in every dish. Prepare to use salt, sugar, and black pepper.

How to Make
Bolognese Rigatoni Pasta Casserole

Cook rigatoni pasta with salt according to direction but 2 minutes less than recommended. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion then sauteed until translucent about 3 minutes.

Add garlic, ground beef, and a pinch of salt. Sauteed for 3 minutes.

Add tomato paste, stir and cooked for 1 minutes until caramelized.

Add peeled tomato, Italian seasoning, and sugar and then mix well. While stirring, crush the tomatoes using a spatula.

Add water. Adjust water according to your need, about 150ml. Add more if too dry. Because we will add the bolognese sauce to the casserole, it needs to be more liquidy than normal bolognese sauce.

Adjust salt and black pepper to your taste.

Add 1 tbsp parmesan and stir until all cheese melted. Turn off heat.

Add cooked rigatoni. Sprinkle with half of mozzarella cheese and half of cheddar cheese then mix.

Place pasta into casserole. Sprinkle with the rest of mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs.

Grill the bolognese rigatoni pasta in an oven for 20 minutes.

Your pasta is ready. Serve per portion on a plate.

Recipe Notes :

• You can use other pasta shapes. I recommend use penne. Yet, the other pasta also works!
• Shred your own mozzarella cheese. Use the good grater to prevent the clot of the mozzarella cheese.
• I use lean beef meat to make this pasta more flavorful.
• Make sure to stir the mixture of tomato paste and peeled tomato before adding any liquids. It gives richer flavor.
• Cook pasta when you want to make it. Don’t let the rigatoni aside too long.
• You can cover the casserole with foil so it doesn’t stick to the cheese. After 20 minutes, you can remove the foil so the cheese can go bubbly and golden!

I make the recipe based on my recipe. Yet, you can try some variations that my friend list and suggest also. Here are some variations you can try.

Meat – Try using ground turkey, turkey sausage, or diced cooked chicken instead of ground beef and Italian sausage.
Vegetables – Add sauteed vegetables to the sauce such as mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, or bell peppers. Olives, sun-dried tomatoes, or artichoke hearts are also fabulous in this dish.
Cheese – Instead of mozzarella, try another cheese that melts well like provolone or fontina. You can also add a layer of ricotta in the middle of the dish.

How to freeze and reheat the pasta?

This food is still best for an hour. After an hour, you need to freeze or reheat it. To freeze it, you need to cover the baked rigatoni with plastic wrap and foil tightly. Yet, if you want to freeze it, I recommend not to spread the cheese. Sprinkle the cheese when you want to reheat it.

If you want to reheat the frozen rigatoni, you just uncover the plastic wrap. Then, reheat in the oven at 360°F covered with foil for about an hour (no need to defrost). Then, sprinkle with cheese and bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the casserole is piping hot all the way through. If the pasta feels dry, stir in ½ cup – 1 cup of tomato sauce before sprinkling with cheese.

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