Description
Baked Rigatoni with Meat Sauce is a comforting Italian-American dish featuring al dente rigatoni layered with a rich meat sauce, creamy béchamel, and melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 ounces rigatoni
- For the Meat Sauce: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup onion, diced, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 pound 85%-90% lean ground beef, 28 ounces crushed Italian style tomatoes, 15 ounces tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper to taste, 1/3 cup red wine, 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
- For the Béchamel Sauce: 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 cup 2% milk, slightly warmed, dash of ground nutmeg
- For the Layers: 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook rigatoni according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and red wine. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat and stir in fresh basil.
- To make the béchamel sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually add warmed milk, whisking constantly until smooth and slightly thickened. Season with a dash of nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- In a greased baking dish, layer half of the cooked rigatoni, half of the meat sauce, half of the béchamel, and half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
- Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients.
- Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional fresh basil if desired.
Notes
- For a deeper flavor, use a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage.
- Make béchamel sauce ahead to save time; it can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Top with extra Parmesan for a crispier, golden crust.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking & Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 70mg