Rigatoni Pasta Bake is my weeknight-to-weekend crowd-pleaser: tender tubes of pasta tucked into a rich red sauce and baked under creamy ricotta, stretchy mozzarella, and a snowfall of Parmesan. I love using ground brisket here—its beefy depth makes the sauce taste like it simmered all day—but this recipe sings with any Whitt’s Place ground meat you have: beef, pork, or Italian sausage. Simple, hearty, and very hard to stop eating.
Ingredients (Serves 6–8)
- 1 lb dried rigatoni
- 2 lb ground brisket (or ground beef/pork/sausage or a mix from Whitt’s Place)
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 (28-oz) cans tomato sauce
- 2 TBS Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic salt (plus more to taste)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼–½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
- 1½ cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella or 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
- ½–¾ cup grated Parmesan
- Kosher salt, for pasta water
Equipment
- 12-inch skillet or sauté pan
- 4–6 qt pot for pasta
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- Wooden spoon, colander, foil
Directions
- Heat the oven & boil pasta
- Preheat to 375°F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni 2 minutes shy of al dente (it will finish in the oven). Drain and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Brown the meat
- Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground brisket (or other ground meat), breaking it up. Season with Italian seasoning, garlic salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook until browned with crisped edges, 6–8 minutes.
- Build the sauce
- Stir in tomato sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and glossy. Taste and adjust salt/pepper.
- Sauce the pasta
- Add the drained rigatoni to the skillet and toss to coat every tube.
- Layer & cheese
- Spread half the sauced pasta into a 9×13 dish. Dollop with ½ cup ricotta, scatter ⅓ of the Parmesan and ⅓ of the mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining pasta, then top with the rest of the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
- Bake
- Cover loosely with foil and bake 20 minutes Remove foil and bake 10–15 minutes more until bubbly and lightly browned in spots. Rest 10 minutes before serving so the layers settle.
Chef Ali’s Notes & Swaps
- Meat choices: Brisket brings a deeper, beefier flavor than sirloin, but this dish is fantastic with any Whitt’s Place ground meat—beef, pork, or Italian sausage.
- Cheese options: Mix ricotta with a pinch of salt and pepper for extra flavor. No mozzarella? Use provolone or fontina.
- Make-ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance; cover and refrigerate. Bake 10 minutes longer.
- Freezer-friendly: Wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge; bake as directed.
- Veg boost: Add a chopped onion and/or bell pepper with the meat, or stir in a handful of spinach with the pasta.
Serve With
Garlic bread, a crisp salad, and something fizzy. Bonus points for a drizzle of good olive oil and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan at the table.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days. Reheat, covered, at 325°F until warmed through, or microwave in short bursts.
Food doesn’t have to be fancy to be memorable. This rigatoni bake gives you silky sauce, tender pasta, and that gooey-cheesy “whoa” factor with pantry-friendly ingredients and Whitt’s Place ground meats. Make it once and you’ll have it on repeat.
