Rigatoni al Forno

5 from 3 votes

Rigatoni al Forno is a comforting baked pasta dish of perfectly cooked rigatoni that is generously coated in a savory meat sauce made with Italian sausage and layered with generous amounts of cheese.

Prep Time25

Cook Time20

Baking Time15

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Canadian, American

Keyword: rigatoni al forno, rigatoni bake, rigatoni pasta bake, rigatoni pasta, rigatoni pasta recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 553kcal

Author: Donna Poirier

Equipment

2 large pots
wooden spoon or spatula
chef's knife
cutting board
measuring cups and spoons
heat-proof casserole dish

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage casing removed and broken into ½ inch pieces
½ cup onion diced
3 garlic cloves minced
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes I used tomatoes from the brand Mutti
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes I used tomatoes from the brand Cirio
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 pound rigatoni I used pasta from the brand Delverde
2 cups shredded cheese blend I used a 4 cheese blend consisting of mozzarella, provolone, gouda, and parmesan cheese
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese grated
2 tablespoons fresh basil cut chiffonade-style (see notes below)

Instructions

Heat oven. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cook sausage. In a Dutch oven or large pot, add olive oil and cook the sausage over medium heat until golden brown. This should take 5-8 minutes. Note: if the sausage releases a lot of fat, remove the excess with a spoon and discard. Fat is good because it adds flavor. If the sausage is drowning in fat, this is an indication to remove some of it.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 pound Italian sausage
Add onion and garlic. Add the onion and continue to cook for 2 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
½ cup onion, 3 garlic cloves
Add tomatoes, bay leaf, red pepper flakes and salt. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, and salt, stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, put the lid on, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes.
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, 1 bay leaf, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt
Cook pasta. Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni according to the package directions, but reduce the recommended cooking time by 3 minutes so that the pasta is al dente (firm to the tooth). Remember to adequately salt the cooking water. Drain and return to the same pot.
1 pound rigatoni
Add 1 cup of sauce to the casserole dish. Add 1 cup of sauce to the bottom of a 3.5-quart braiser or 13-inch by 9-inch heat-proof casserole dish. Spread to cover the surface.
Add the remaining sauce to the pasta. Add the rest of the sauce to the cooked rigatoni and gently toss to coat the pasta.
Assemble and bake. Gently spoon half the pasta into the casserole dish. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Add the remaining pasta on top and finish with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the cheese has melted and is slightly golden.
2 cups shredded cheese blend, ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Serve. Sprinkle with fresh basil, let rest for 5 minutes, and serve.
2 tablespoons fresh basil

Notes

To chiffonade basil, means to cut into ribbons. To do so, lay each basil leaf on top of each other and roll the leaves on the long end into a log. With a sharp knife, cut through the log into fine ribbons.
Reduce the recommended cooking time of the pasta by 3 minutes.
16 ounces of dried pasta is equivalent to 1 pound.

Nutrition