Print

Three Cheese Baked Rigatoni with Sausage

baked rigatoni.
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

This hearty baked pasta uses pantry ingredients for easy prep, and the sauce does not require chopping! The sauce and pasta are layered in a baking dish with a three-cheese filling, so every bite has melty cheese. 

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta and Sauce

  • 8 ounces rigatoni
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage, mild or spicy
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder, 
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 2 ounces sliced provolone cheese, divided (see note)
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese, divided
  • Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Boil the pasta for about 3/4 of the time listed on the package. For rigatoni, this should take about eight minutes. Drain the pasta.
  3. Heat the olive oil in the same pot over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage until it’s browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
  4. Add the balsamic vinegar and scrape up the browned bits off the bottom of the pan as it simmers. Add the Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir to combine and bring the sauce to a simmer.
  5. While the sauce simmers, make the cheese filling. Slice half of the sliced provolone into small strips. Save the other half for the top of the pasta. Place the provolone strips in a bowl with the ricotta and half of the Asiago cheese. Stir to combine.
  6. Cover the bottom of a 9×9″ baking dish with a generous cup of sauce. Top with half of the pasta. Top the pasta with dollops of the cheese filling (about half of the mixture). Top with half of the sauce. Repeat with the rest of the pasta and cheese, finishing with the rest of the sauce on top.
  7. Place the rest of the sliced provolone on the sauce and sprinkle the rest of the Asiago over the top. Cover the dish with foil and bake it for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake it uncovered for 10 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling hot.
  8. Leave the pasta at room temperature for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley if using.

Notes

Sometimes I can’t find provolone chees in a block or already shredded, so I use sliced provolone cheese instead. I slice half of it into thin strips and use those for the cheese filling. I slice the other pieces in half and use those for the top of the sauce. You can also use shredded Italian cheese blend instead of provolone.

You can assemble it a day ahead and bake it the next day. Leave the baking dish out at room temperature while you preheat the oven. Depending on how cold it is when it goes in the oven, you may need to add five to ten minutes to the baking time.

Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for several days. You can also freeze the leftovers for a couple of months.

I like to serve it with garlic toast and a tossed salad on the side.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.girlgonegourmet.com/easy-baked-pasta/