This Rigatoni Pasta Bake is great for when you need to feed a lot of people. That it's hearty, tasty, and simple to make. It's sure to be a hit at any party because it has layers of pasta, Italian sausage, marinara sauce, and cheeses.
Ingredients: 1 lb rigatoni pasta. 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed. 1 onion, finely chopped. 4 cloves garlic, minced. 1 jar 24 oz marinara sauce. 1 cup ricotta cheese. 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. 1 teaspoon dried oregano. 1 teaspoon dried basil. Salt and pepper to taste. Fresh basil leaves for garnish optional.
Instructions: Warm the oven up to 190C 375F. Follow the directions on the package to cook rigatoni until it is al dente. Remove the water and set it aside. Over medium-low heat, break up the Italian sausage into crumbles in a large skillet. Cook until it turns brown. If you need to, get rid of the extra fat. Put minced garlic and chopped onion into the pan with the sausage. It will take about 34 minutes of cooking until the onion is clear. Add the dried oregano, basil, and marinara sauce and mix well. Let it cook for 5 minutes. Put cooked rigatoni, sausage mixture, ricotta cheese, half of the shredded mozzarella cheese, and half of the grated Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Add pepper and salt to taste. Put the pasta mixture in a 9x13-inch baking dish that has been greased. Add the rest of the Parmesan and mozzarella cheese on top. Put it in an oven that is already hot and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. If you want, add fresh basil leaves as a garnish before serving.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Cool 97.5
