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Baked Rigatoni Pasta Recipe

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Comforting Baked Rigatoni

Foodie Sisters in Italy, Benedetta and Valeria, have just prepared Baked Rigatoni Pasta, a comforting and cozy baked pasta recipe made with rigatoni, tomato sauce, and bechamel. Rigatoni pasta is tossed in a rich, cheesy sauce before being cooked in the oven until the top is crunchy and the interior is creamy and satisfying. Watch the video and get the recipe for this delicious and versatile dish.

Lasagne is undoubtedly the most famous oven-baked pasta dish, but in Italy, there are many variations that use different types of pasta and a limitless selection of sauces. This recipe, from our favorite cookbook Il Talismano della Felicità, mixes rigatoni pasta with a robust sauce of tomato, bechamel, and a generous dose of cheese. Once you have the basic procedure, you can add cooked ham (as per the original recipe), meat, or vegetables, or try a version in bianco without the tomato sauce.

The correct cooking of the pasta is fundamental to the success of the dish. When cooking dried pasta, put plenty of cold water into a large saucepan (1/2 liter of water for each 100g of pasta). Bring to a boil before adding salt (10g salt per 1 liter of water). Add the pasta, stir, and leave to cook.

For this recipe, partially cook the pasta so it can finish cooking in the oven.

Drain the rigatoni about 4-5 minutes less than the time indicated on the packet, ensuring there is no excess water to avoid a soggy and overcooked result.

This recipe uses both tomato sauce and bechamel sauce, which you can make in advance. Prepare the whole dish ahead of time and simply warm it up before serving. In Italy, families often make baked pasta for large lunches or celebrations, making this recipe perfect for a hearty Sunday lunch.

Rigatoni al Forno Recipe (Serves 6)

Ingredients

  • 600g (21.2 oz) rigatoni
  • 1kg (35.2 oz) tomato sauce
  • 50g (1.8 oz) butter
  • 100g (3.5 oz) mozzarella
  • 50g (1.8 oz) gruyère
  • 50g (1.8 oz) parmesan
  • 100g (3.5 oz) ham (optional)
  • 1/2 liter (17 oz) bechamel sauce
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Instructions

  1.  Make the tomato sauce from scratch with carrot, onion, and celery. Prepare the bechamel sauce.
  2. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add salt, and cook the rigatoni for 4-5 minutes less than the time stated on the packet.
  3. Chop the mozzarella and ham (if using) into cubes. Grate the parmesan and gruyère.
  4. In a large bowl, mix together the tomato sauce and bechamel. Add the cheeses and ham. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
  5. Drain the pasta well and mix it into the sauce until well coated.
  6. Preheat the oven to 200°C/430°F. Grease an oven-proof dish with butter, add the pasta, and cook for about 20 minutes until the top is crunchy and golden.

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Inside the Local Aromas Family, you are not just learning recipes. You are stepping into a community of people who share your passion for Italy, its flavors, and its way of life.

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With Casa, you cook alongside real Italians, learn traditions passed down through generations, and finally understand the why behind every ingredient and technique. At the same time, you connect with others who love Italy just as much as you do.

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