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This Rigatoni al Forno is a baked pasta dish tossed in a delicious meat sauce and topped with plenty of cheese. It is a comforting and hearty option that is perfect for a large group.
When I think of comfort food, pasta is one of the first to come to mind - from penne al baffo to Philly cheesesteak casserole to tortellini bolognese to bucatini cacio e pepe to spicy rigatoni.
And this Rigatoni al Forno is the latest and greatest. From an overall recipe standpoint, it is pretty simple - pasta, meat sauce and cheese.
But by pureeing the veggies and browning them before adding in the meat, wine and tomatoes, you get a depth of flavor that is hard to top. Plus by baking it, you get bubbly cheese throughout.
In case you didn't know, "al forno" means baked in the oven in Italian so it has to live up to its name. It really is a dish everyone will love.
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Ingredient Notes
- Mirepoix - the combination of onion, carrot, celery and garlic is the base for almost any braised recipe. By pureeing it before cooking, you help intensify the flavor.
- Beef - I'm a fan of a combination of beef, pork and veal so it is similar to traditional meatballs.
- Wine - you need a quality dry white wine as it helps dissolve the fats but also adds some acidity to bring balance and slightly fruity flavor to this Rigatoni al Forno.
- Tomatoes - using a combination of tomato puree and tomato paste helps thin the sauce but also adds a rich tomato flavor.
- Pasta - I'm a fan of rigatoni as they are larger than penne or ziti and really hold the sauce well.
- Cheese - by adding some fresh mozzarella and Parmesan cheese both in the middle and on top of the dish, you get pockets of cheese throughout.
Ingredient Swaps
While this recipe is pretty perfect, you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations include:
- While a combination of ground meats works great, you can also use all of one type like beef or pork, or even try ground chicken.
- I like to use dry white wine for a more fruity flavor, but red wine can also be used if you want more richness.
- It is called Rigatoni al Forno for a reason, but you can use any pasta you like - from ziti to penne to orecchiette.
- While not included in the recipe, you can add additional veggies like mushrooms, zucchini and peppers or even olives, which is a fruit in case you didn't know!
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
First, puree the veggies in a food processor and then cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat with some olive oil, until the water has evaporated it has become browned.
Add in the beef and cook until browned. Stir in the herbs and crushed red pepper flakes before deglazing with wine.
Then add the tomatoes, paste, salt, pepper and basil and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta.
Add half of the pasta to the baking dish. Top with half of the cheese. Add the remaining pasta and top with the remaining cheeses. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 400°F or until the top is golden brown and bubbly. Garnish with basil.
FAQs
I mentioned it above, but "al forno" translates to baked in the oven in Italian. It could be applied to bread, pizza or in this case - pasta.
Yes. Wine is a key ingredient to giving this sauce its depth of flavor. And using a wine you'd be willing to drink is even more important so don't go cheap on the wine.
Remember, once you open the wine to cook you have to drink it and that's never a bad thing.
Yes. You can assemble the dish up to 8 hours ahead of time and place in the fridge. You'll need to add 10-15 minutes of baking time.
This Rigatoni al Forno will last about 3 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
You can also keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
My preferred method is just reheating in the dish. Cover and bake at 325°F until warmed through.
Another option is adding leftover pasta to a skillet with a splash of water. Cook on medium-low until heated through.
You can also microwave. Place in a microwave-proof bowl with a splash of water and microwave for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for another minute or until heated through.
Side Dish Suggestions
While this Rigatoni al Forno recipe is perfect on its own. You can serve with a variety of sides including:
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the recipe turns out. What is needed is the following:
- Skillet/Dutch oven - you want something large enough to be able to toss the pasta in after cooking the sauce.
- Wooden spoon - used to break up the meat and toss the sauce.
- Baking dish - you want a 9x13 baking dish for the pasta.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- You can skip pureeing the veggies and just cook in the skillet before adding the beef if you prefer.
- Use quality dry white wine that you’d be willing to drink. The flavor of the sauce comes from the wine. Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio are best.
- If using fresh herbs, triple the amount as it isn't as strong.
- Cook the rigatoni until just al dente as it will cook more when baking in the oven.
- Don't use pre-shredded cheese. It contains wood pulp and preservatives so it doesn't melt well.
Other Pasta Recipes
If you’ve tried this Rigatoni al Forno recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Rigatoni al Forno
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ large sweet onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 rib celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb ground meat mixture (beef, pork and veal)
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 (28 oz can) tomato puree
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
- 1 lb rigatoni
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, diced into 1 inch cubes
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic to a food processor and puree until a paste forms. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pureed veggies and cook until the water has evaporated and they have become brown, about 10 minutes.
- Add the ground meat, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and beginning to brown.
- Stir in the oregano, thyme and red pepper flakes and cook for an additional minute. Pour wine in to scrape up any brown bits. Let cook for a minute, before adding the tomato puree, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and basil, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat, simmering for 10 minutes.
- While sauce is simmering bring pot of salted water to boil and cook rigatoni 2 minutes less than al dente. Drain the rigatoni and add to sauce.
- Add half of the pasta to the baking dish. Top with half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Add the remaining pasta and top with the remaining cheeses. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbly. Garnish with basil.
Notes
- You can skip pureeing the veggies and just cook in the skillet before adding the beef if you prefer.
- Use quality dry white wine that you’d be willing to drink. The flavor of the sauce comes from the wine. Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio are best.
- If using fresh herbs, triple the amount as it isn't as strong.
- Cook the rigatoni until just al dente as it will cook more when baking in the oven.
- Don't use pre-shredded cheese. It contains wood pulp and preservatives so it doesn't melt well.
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