Baked Rigatoni and Sausage

Our Baked Rigatoni and Sausage recipe is rich and hearty. With layers of creamy cheese and homemade meat sauce, this Italian casserole dish rivals lasagna, making it both company-worthy and a family favorite. 

Craving something homemade? This sausage rigatoni recipe serves up delicious cheeses melted to bubbly perfection, a savory meat sauce with leafy green spinach layered with rigatoni. It only tastes like you spent all day making it.

The easy preparation gives you a chance to enjoy being in the kitchen, visiting with your family, or delighting in some quiet, instead of rushing to get dinner on the table. 

If you love a good casserole, you're going to want to add this chicken pot pie casserole, sausage green beans and potatoes, and hobo casserole recipe to your dinner menu. 

Ingredients

• Rigatoni Pasta: This pasta is made of short, wide fluted tubes that allows the yummy meat sauce to fill in the noodle and show up in every bite. Any short pasta, like penne or ziti will also work in this recipe. 
• Olive Oil: You'll use this oil to saute the onions and brown the sausage. Extra virgin olive oil is often used to saute because of its heat stability and distinct flavor.
• Yellow Onion: The yellow onion is a versatile cooking onion. Its pungent flavor mellows and grows sweeter when it's cooked. 
• Italian Sausage: Look for ground Italian sausage. You can choose between mild, sweet, or spicy. 
• Butter: It gives the sauce a creamy texture and a rich flavor. You can substitute margarine or ghee if preferred. 
• Garlic: No Italian dish is complete without garlic. It lends a sweet, buttery flavor to the meat sauce. 
• Heavy Cream: Heavy cream has a high-fat content that makes a rich, creamy sauce. Heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are interchangeable in recipes. 
• Parmesan Cheese: This aged cheese adds a nutty, umami flavor. Go for a block and shred it yourself for a super fresh taste. You can substitute pecorino romano for the parmesan.
• Marinara Sauce and Diced Tomatoes: A jar of marinara and canned diced tomatoes create the thick, hearty tomato base.
• Fresh Spinach: Using spinach adds a nice green color to this dish and provides some healthy nutrients. 
• Mozzarella Cheese: This mild, soft cheese melts into a creamy texture, giving the casserole a slightly tangy flavor. Provolone, cottage cheese, or ricotta can fill in for mozzarella. 

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

Variations

• Meat Options: Feel free to use ground beef or ground turkey instead of sausage. You could even mix in some pepperoni. 
• Use Different Greens: Spinach can easily be replaced with Swiss chard which has a similar flavor. For a spicier, peppery flavor, try arugula in place of the spinach.  
• Add Some Spice: Saute some red pepper flakes with the garlic or sprinkle some on top of the casserole as a finishing season.

How to Make Baked Rigatoni and Sausage

To get started, preheat the oven to 375° F and grease a 9x13 cooking dish with oil, butter, or cooking spray. Set the pan aside. 

1. Step 1: Boil the Pasta. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water. Remove it from the boiling water just before it is al dente. 

2. Step 2: Cook the Sausage, Onions, and carrots. Sauté the diced onions and carrots in a large pan with olive oil until they're translucent, about 2 - 3 minutes. Add in the sausage and stir it until it's browned. Remove the sausage and onions from the pan. 

3. Step 3: Start the Sauce. Saute the garlic in butter for about 30 seconds. Whisk in the heavy cream. Season it with the black pepper. Continue slowly whisking the cream mixture until all the ingredients are combined. 

4. Step 4: Add in the Cheese. Once the sauce starts to bubble, slowly stir in the parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth. 

5. Step 5: Complete the Sauce. To the cheese sauce, add the marinara sauce, tomatoes, browned sausage, sauteed onions and fresh spinach. Stir the ingredients together, cooking the sauce until the spinach is wilted. 

6. Step 6: Assemble the Casserole. Pour the sauce into the pasta and stir until the pasta is coated. Pour half of the coated pasta into the greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with a cup of the mozzarella cheese. Add the other half of the pasta. Then, top it off with the rest of the mozzarella cheese. 

7. Step 7: Bake the Casserole. Cover the Italian sausage rigatoni with foil and bake it for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and allow the casserole to bake for another 15 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it cool. 

Storage Directions 

• Storing: Cover any leftover rigatoni and sausage in cling wrap or in an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. 
• Reheating: Reheat individual servings in the microwave in 1 minute intervals until it is heated through. 
• Make Ahead: You can make and assemble the casserole up to 3 days in advance. Just cover it with cling wrap or foil and be sure to add an extra 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time. You can freeze the pre-assembled baked rigatoni with sausage for up to 3 months. 

Serving Suggestions

There's something so comforting and familiar about a go-to dish on special occasions. This sausage rigatoni recipe would be perfect for Christmas Eve. Make it the signature dish you make for new mom and sick neighbors, or add it to the rotation for Sunday supper. 

Since baked rigatoni with Italian sausage is already so rich and decadent, we suggest serving it with lighter sides like vegetables or salad. 

• Balance it with the lightness of strawberry pecan salad or creamy cucumber salad, and a green vegetable like bacon wrapped asparagus or roasted Brussels sprouts. 
• Make this dutch oven bread or easy breadsticks to round out the meal. 
• End your meal on a sweet note with a serving of homemade vanilla ice cream or cream puffs for dessert. 

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