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Simple Rigatoni Pasta Bake Recipe

This rigatoni pasta bake recipe features tender rigatoni tossed in marinara sauce with seasoned ground beef, onions, and garlic, baked under melted mozzarella and Parmesan. Quick, cheesy, and family-friendly, it's perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prep, serving 8 with minimal effort.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 –1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 5 cups marinara sauce
  • 1 pound dry rigatoni pasta
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh parsley chopped for garnish

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  2. Cook ground beef and onion in a saucepan until beef is no longer pink; drain fat.
  3. Add Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, red chili flakes, and black pepper; sauté 1 minute.
  4. Stir in marinara sauce and simmer 5 minutes; remove from heat.
  5. Cook rigatoni to al dente, drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water; stir into sauce.
  6. Toss pasta with sauce gently, then spread in prepared baking dish.
  7. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
  8. Bake 15–20 minutes until bubbly and golden; broil 1–2 minutes if desired.
  9. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.

Notes

Slightly undercook pasta for perfect texture after baking. Extra cheese can be added for richer bake.