Baked Rigatoni Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between baked ziti and baked rigatoni? ›

Rigatoni pasta noodles are medium size tubes with ridges. In comparison, ziti noodles are a bit longer, skinnier, and don't have ridges down the side. They're similar, but we like to use rigatoni for its ability to hold onto the sauce! You can always swap out ziti for rigatoni but make sure you check the cooking times.

To prevent the pasta from “steaming” and to allow the top to brown it should be baked uncovered.

Tube pastas such as penne, rigatoni and macaroni are complemented by vegetable sauces. These types of pastas can be worked into a casserole or drizzled with a thick tomato sauce. Cheese sauces are best with macaroni but they are also great with rigatoni.

For Baked Pasta Dishes

As for picking the perfect pasta shape, we recommend choosing a short cut—like Penne, Shells or Rigatoni—with hollow middles, twists or scoop-like shapes to capture all the goodness of your baked pasta: sauces, small ingredients and melty cheeses galore.

You want enough loose liquid to cover the bottom. If there isn't enough add some of the pasta water or stock - slowly, don't overdo it - then bake it covered for the first 15-20 minutes. If there's too much liquid in the bottom, bake it uncovered so more evaporates.

If there's anything more comforting than boiled pasta in a sauce, it's got to be baked pasta in a sauce. The baking adds a crispy crust that is such a delicious contrast to the tender goodness of the dish.

Oftentimes, baked ziti can end up watery if the tomato sauce isn't thick enough. Luckily this recipe calls for the tomato sauce to simmer on the stove along with the ground beef and onion. Doing this will help to get rid of some of the extra water in the sauce.

The word rigatoni comes from the Italian word rigato (that stands for 'lined', 'striped', 'ruled', rigatone being the augmentative, and rigatoni the plural form), which means 'ridged' or 'lined', and is associated with the cuisine of southern and central Italy.

Do Not Rinse. Pasta should never, ever be rinsed for a warm dish. The starch in the water is what helps the sauce adhere to your pasta. The only time you should ever rinse your pasta is when you are going to use it in a cold dish like a pasta salad or when you are not going to use it immediately.

Can I put uncooked pasta in the oven? ›

To a 9×13 baking dish, add your uncooked pasta, sauce, broth, cream of choice, and spices. Mix the ingredients until well combined. Cover the baking dish with foil (see note) and place your dish in the oven in the center of your rack. Bake for 40 minutes.

When making a pasta bake I personally like to cover for the first part of the cooking and then uncovered for long enough to brown the cheese. I cover with a layer of baking paper and then foil as the baking paper prevents the cheese from sticking.

What about ziti? Ziti is straight cut like rigatoni, but is smooth on the outside. It's more popular in America than Australia, and is often used in "Baked Ziti" pasta bakes. Much like rigatoni and penne, it's easily interchangeable with these other pasta shapes.

Baked Ziti is a popular Italian-American dish that is not commonly found in Italy.

Baked Ziti is so much more than just a Bolognese pasta bake…. It's a big, juicy baked pasta that's loaded with flavour from a healthy dose of seasonings and topped with a generous amount of cheese. Cosy food that's easy enough for midweek yet worthy of company. Bonus: perfect freezer friendly meal!