Baked Italian-Style 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.

Tender rigatoni baked with a robust tomato sauce and layers of melted mozzarella cheese for a comforting Italian casserole. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 45 minutes, pairs rigatoni pasta, olive oil, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 400 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: 30 min Serves 6 Italian cuisine 400 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 boil and cook 12 oz rigatoni pasta for 9 minutes until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
  2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
  3. Step 3: Pour in 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes, then add 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
  4. Step 4: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked rigatoni with the tomato sauce and half (4 oz) of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Toss well to coat all pasta.
  5. Step 5: Transfer the pasta mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 4 oz shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan evenly on top.
  6. Step 6: Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and beginning to brown on the edges.
  7. Step 7: Let cool for 5 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set.

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