Extra Cheesy Baked Rigatoni Recipe!! EASY Dinner Recipe Idea & Ultimate Comfort Food!

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.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cook 0.5 pounds of rigatoni pasta until al dente; drain and keep warm.

Preheat a large frying pan over medium high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil.

Add 1 pound of ground beef to the pan; season with salt and black pepper.

Cook the ground beef until browned, about 7-8 minutes, breaking it apart with a spatula.

Pour in the organic marinara sauce and stir to combine; let simmer for 4-5 minutes.

Turn off the heat and stir in chopped fresh basil and parsley into the sauce.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked rigatoni and the meat sauce.

Add 1.25 cups of ricotta cheese and 1.75 cups of mozzarella cheese to the mixing bowl; mix until well combined.

Transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and bake for 25 minutes until cheese is melted.

Turn on the broiler and broil for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil and parsley before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens