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close-up of wooden spoon dipped in white baking dish of rigatoni al forno
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Rigatoni al Forno

This Rigatoni al Forno is a baked pasta dish tossed in a delicious meat sauce and topped with plenty of cheese.
Course Pasta
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8
Calories 470kcal
Author Ryan Beck

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 522mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 19g