Baked Italian Rigatoni with Tomato and Mozzarella

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Comforting baked rigatoni layered with a rich tomato sauce and melted mozzarella cheese, perfect for family dinners. This Italian-inspired no-cook recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs rigatoni pasta, olive oil, yellow onion, diced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 35 min Serves 6 Italian cuisine 480 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 12 oz rigatoni pasta and cook for 10 minutes until just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
  2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 diced yellow onion and cook for 5 minutes until translucent. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Step 3: Stir in 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
  4. Step 4: Combine cooked rigatoni with the tomato sauce in a large mixing bowl. Fold in 8 oz diced fresh mozzarella and half of 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
  5. Step 5: Transfer the mixture to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese evenly on top.
  6. Step 6: Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly with golden edges. Remove from oven and garnish with 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil before serving.

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