The Ultimate Baked Rigatoni for a Cozy Night | Cooking with Kimberly

ricotta cheese

🥗Healthier: cottage cheese

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Cottage cheese is lower in fat and calories while providing similar texture.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: provolone cheese

Part-skim mozzarella reduces fat content without sacrificing flavor.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast offers a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often less expensive.

Boil a large pot of water with a bay leaf and salt until it reaches a ferocious boil.

Add 900 grams of dry rigatoni pasta to the boiling water and stir intermittently to prevent sticking.

Boil the rigatoni for 8-9 minutes until just under al dente, then strain it.

Return the rigatoni to the pot and douse it with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to coat and prevent sticking.

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray or grease it with olive oil.

Pour the rigatoni into the baking dish and spread it around evenly.

Add the homemade tomato sauce to the rigatoni and stir to coat evenly, leaving it not too soaked in sauce.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of bread crumbs over the top of the rigatoni.

Add mozzarella cheese on top, using as much or as little as desired.

Cover the rigatoni with thinly sliced roma tomatoes.

Drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with additional bread crumbs if desired.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, shiny side in, and spray the foil to prevent sticking.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for at least an hour, checking after 30 minutes.

Prepare the Italian sausage by placing it on a baking sheet lined with a baking mat and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes.

Check the sausages after 20 minutes; they should be browned and firm to the touch.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens