02/13/2026
Baked Rigatoni with Meat Sauce & Cheese 🍝
📝 Ingredients (Serves 6)
For the meat sauce:
500 g (1 lb) ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
700 g (24 oz) tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
Salt & black pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
For the pasta & topping:
400–450 g (14–16 oz) rigatoni pasta
1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
👩🍳 Instructions
Cook the pasta
Bring salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Prepare the meat sauce
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Add onion and sauté until soft.
Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add ground beef and cook until browned.
Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.
Simmer for 10–15 minutes until slightly thickened.
Assemble the dish
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Mix pasta with most of the meat sauce.
Transfer to a baking dish.
Spread remaining sauce on top.
Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the surface.
Bake
Bake for 20–25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
For a golden top, broil 2–3 minutes.
Serve
Let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.