Rigatoni Al Forno with Meat Sauce
Rigatoni Al Forno with Meat Sauce is an Italian classic and really easy to make. This step-by-step baked rigatoni recipe is perfect for any home cook and it is ready in just under an hour
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
- 1 lb Ground beef I prefer 85% lean ground beef.
- 24 ounces Passata Sauce or crushed tomatoes
- ½ medium yellow onion diced very fine
- 2 cloves garlic diced very fine
- 1 ½ tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 fresh basil leaves
- ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
Rigatoni al Forno
- 1 lb Rigatoni pasta
- 8 ounces Fresh mozzarella
- ½ cup Fresh Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Make the meat sauce
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat.
- Add your olive oil.1 ½ tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Now add your red pepper flakes, onion and a pinch of salt and cook until the onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes.½ medium yellow onion diced very fine, ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Remove onions from pot on to a plate and set aside.
- In the same pot, add your ground beef and brown on all sides making sure to break up the meat as much as possible while it cooks (about 5 minutes).1 lb Ground beef
- Add the onions back to the pot and mix in to the ground beef.
- Now add your garlic and cook for one more minute.2 cloves garlic diced very fine
- Add your tomatoes to the pot.24 ounces Passata Sauce
- Add your salt, oregano and basil and stir.2 fresh basil leaves, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano
- Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to low and let simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Taste the sauce for any additional salt.
Rigatoni al Forno
- Cook rigatoni a few minutes less than al dente according to the manufacturer's instructions then drain.1 lb Rigatoni pasta
- Add to the sauce and mix well.
- Pour into a 9x11 baking dish.
- Top with both cheeses.8 ounces Fresh mozzarella, ½ cup Fresh Parmesan cheese
- Bake on the top rack of the oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and just starting to turn golden brown.
Notes
To freeze:
Bake and allow to fully cool. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to use.
Re-heating:
Cover with aluminum foil the add to a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until heated all the way through.
Nutrition
Calories: 499kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 25gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 535mgPotassium: 689mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 641IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 185mgIron: 4mg
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