This Italian sausage rigatoni bake is an easy meal that’s great when you need to feed a crowd with not a lot of time. Or, when you are counting on leftovers to get you through the week.
In this casserole recipe, pantry and fresh ingredients combine for a homemade taste in a fraction of the time. We use jarred pasta sauce, canned tomatoes, and boxed pasta from the pantry and cook them with Italian sausage, onion, and garlic to make a delicious pasta dinner that will please the whole family.
Like this baked rigatoni, this beef and macaroni and baked spaghetti are simple pasta recipes that you can put together even on busy weeknights. If you want to go all out, make this homemade garlic bread to go with your pasta dinner.
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Ingredients
- Italian sausage – Use hot or mild sausage depending on how spicy you like it. Italian sausage is a wonderful ingredient that adds a ton of flavor to a dish so we can keep the ingredient list to a minimum. Check out these 14 Italian sausage recipes for more dinner ideas.
- Oil – We use olive oil to brown the sausage since we are not cooking on high heat. Use your favorite oil if it’s suitable.
- Produce – Onions and garlic add flavor to the store-bought ingredients. Use parsley or basil for garnish, if desired.
- Pantry – Jarred pasta sauce and canned diced tomatoes make up the sauce. Use a meatless variety since we are adding in our own. Rigatoni is the pasta of choice for this casserole, use your favorite brand.
- Seasoning – Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper add even more flavor to the sauce. Plus, salt for the pasta water (we use Kosher salt).
- Cheese – We use pre-shredded mozzarella cheese, whole milk mozzarella melts best.
Recipe tips
- Don’t overcook the pasta; cook it only to al dente to avoid it getting mushy.
- Choose a pasta sauce that is not too thick so it will stay saucy when cooked with the sausage, then combined with the pasta and baked.
- If you are using sausage links use a sharp knife tip and run it along the length of the sausage. Remove the casing then tear it into small pieces to make it easier to break up once it hits the skillet.
Instructions
Remove the sausage from the casings: using a sharp knife tip, run it along the sausage lengthwise just deep enough to tear the casing. Remove the casing and tear the sausage into pieces. Repeat with the remaining links.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook 5-6 minutes to brown.
Stir occasionally and break up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Drain excess oil after browning, if desired. Depending on the fat content of the sausage used, you may want to drain some of the oil after browning. The easiest way to do this is to take the pot off the heat, arrange the sausage on one side of the pot and tip it slightly so that the oil pools opposite the meat. Use a large spoon to scoop the excess oil and add it to a small bowl, can, etc.
Add the onions, cook 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper (if using). Cook for 1-2 minutes, stir frequently.
Add the pasta sauce and diced tomatoes to the pot. Lower the heat to medium-low when the sauce comes to a simmer. Cover the pot.
Cook the sauce gently for 20-25 minutes stirring occasionally. Keep it at a simmer, if it’s boiling too vigorously, lower the heat a bit. Simmering the sauce for a little while will give that “homemade” taste, even if we’re using convenience ingredients.
While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and the pasta. Cook to package directions for al dente. Use a strainer to drain well.
Combine the pasta and the Italian sausage sauce.
Build the casserole
Preheat the oven 350°F
Add half of the sausage rigatoni to the casserole dish (use a baking dish that is at least 2.5-quart, 8×12 inch). Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese on top.
Then add the remaining pasta. Reserve the remaining cheese to melt on top later.
- Cover the casserole with foil. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.
- Remove the foil, top with the remaining cheese and bake (uncovered) for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with chopped parsley or basil, if desired. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Storing and reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. The best way to reheat is in microwave. Cover the plate loosely with a paper towel (or microwave cover if you have one) and cook until hot all the way through.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, it can. Prepare the casserole as directed and cover with foil. Refrigerate for 1 day. Remove it from the fridge for a while before you are ready to bake to get the chill out of the dish (some bakeware does not do well with extreme temperature changes). Then bake as directed, although it may be necessary to extend the cooking time.
Make sure to cook it in a large pot of water and that the water is boiling vigorously before adding it in. Then, stir it often especially in the beginning. Lastly, do not overcook the pasta, use the package directions for “al dente”.
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Italian Sausage Rigatoni Bake
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1–1¼ pound Hot or Mild Italian Sausage casings removed and torn into pieces or use bulk
- 1 medium Onion diced (yellow or white onion)
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- Pinch Crushed Red Pepper optional – leave it out if you don’t like spicy
- 1 (24 ounce) Jar Pasta Sauce (use a meatless variety, and your favorite brand)
- 1 (14 ounce) can Diced Tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon Salt for the Pasta Water (we use kosher salt)
- 12 ounce Rigatoni cooked to package directions for al dente
- 2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (8 ounce package)
- Chopped Parsley or Basil for garnish optional
- Parmesan Cheese for serving optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook 5-6 minutes to brown. Stir occasionally and break up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Drain excess oil after browning, if desired.
- Add the onions, cook 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper (if using). Cook for 1-2 minutes, stir frequently.
- Add the pasta sauce and diced tomatoes to the pot. Lower the heat to medium-low when the sauce comes to a simmer. Cover the pot. Cook the sauce gently for 20-25 minutes stirring occasionally. Keep the sauce at a simmer, if it’s boiling too vigorously, lower the heat a bit.
- While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and the pasta. Cook the rigatoni to package directions for al dente. Stir it often at first to keep the pasta from sticking. Use a strainer to drain the rigatoni well.
- Combine the pasta and the Italian sausage sauce.
Build the casserole
- Preheat the oven 350°F
- Add half of the sausage rigatoni to the casserole dish (use a baking dish that is at least 2.5-quart, 8×12 inch).
- Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese on top, then add the remaining pasta. Reserve the remaining cheese to melt on top at the end.
- Cover the casserole with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.
- Remove the foil, top with the remaining cheese and bake (uncovered) for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with chopped parsley or basil, if desired. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Simmering the sauce for a little while will give that “homemade” taste, even if we’re using convenience ingredients.
- Choose a pasta sauce that is not too thick so it will stay saucy when cooked with the sausage, then combined with the pasta and baked.
- If you are using sausage links use a sharp knife tip and run it along the length of the sausage. Remove the casing then tear it into small pieces to make it easier to break up once it hits the skillet.
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