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Dump and Bake Baked Rigatoni with Meat Sauce
This Dump and Bake Baked Rigatoni with Meat Sauce is everything I love about a big, cheesy baked pasta without all the extra work. It’s loaded with seasoned ground beef, marinara, creamy cottage cheese, Parmesan, and plenty of melty mozzarella for the ultimate cozy comfort food.
This is the kind of dinner I make when my family wants baked pasta, but I absolutely do not want another pot to wash. 😂 The rigatoni goes into the baking dish uncooked, so there’s no boiling pasta first—just layer everything, cover it, and let the oven do the work.
Servings: 6
Calories: 720kcal
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Ingredients
For the meat
- 1 lb ground beef I used 80/20
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow or white onion diced
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the cheese mixture
- 2 cups whole-milk, small-curd cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
For the pasta & sauce
- 1 lb uncooked rigatoni or another short-shape pasta like penne, ziti, etc.
- 1 24oz jar jar of your favorite Marinara Sauce
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil, chopped for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook the meat. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, diced onion, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Cook, breaking up the beef as it cooks, until browned and cooked through. Drain any excess grease, if needed.
- Make the cheese mixture. In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Make the sauce mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together the marinara sauce, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning.
- Assemble the first layer. Add half of the uncooked rigatoni to the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the cooked ground beef, followed by half of the sauce mixture.
- Add the cheese layer. Spoon dollops of the cottage cheese mixture evenly over the pasta. Top with the remaining uncooked rigatoni and ground beef, then pour the remaining sauce mixture evenly over the top. Make sure the pasta is mostly submerged in the liquid.
- Cover and bake. Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Add the mozzarella. Carefully remove the foil and check the pasta for tenderness. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top and bake uncovered for another 5–10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Broil, if desired. For an extra golden, bubbly top, broil for 2–3 minutes. Keep a close eye on it so the cheese doesn't burn.
- Finish and serve. Top with fresh basil and additional Parmesan cheese. Let the baked rigatoni rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 720kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 1613mg | Potassium: 556mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 445IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 341mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @thecookingmawma and let me know what you think. My family loves it and I hope yours does, too!
Tips for Making This Recipe
- Keep the pasta covered in liquid. Before baking, make sure the uncooked rigatoni is mostly submerged in the sauce and broth mixture. This is what allows the pasta to cook evenly and become tender right in the baking dish.
- Swap it or save it for later. You can use ricotta instead of cottage cheese or swap the ground beef for Italian sausage. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days and reheat with a splash of broth or sauce if needed.
- Don’t peek too early! Keep the baking dish tightly covered with foil for the full 40 minutes. Removing the foil too soon lets the steam escape, which can leave you with dry sauce and undercooked pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to cook the rigatoni before baking?
No! The rigatoni goes into the baking dish completely uncooked. It cooks directly in the marinara and chicken broth, which is what makes this recipe so easy.
Can I use ricotta instead of cottage cheese?
Can I use a different type of pasta?
Yes! Another short, sturdy pasta like ziti, penne, or mezzi rigatoni will work well. Cooking time can vary depending on the pasta shape, so check that the pasta is fully tender before serving.
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Love this. Turned out fantastic. The kids LOVED it!
Anything dump and bake sign me up! Makes school nights a breeze. This was delicious and my kids plus hubby devoured it!
So glad your family loved it, Jenna!!! And yes, a dump & bake hates to see me coming on a school night LOL. Thanks for the review and taking time to do one. I really appreciate it. Xoxo
So easy and turned out delicious! The entire family ate it up!
Thank you so much Sarah, I’m so glad you guys all loved it!! I appreciate your review <3 xoxo
About 10 minutes of prep work and the oven does the rest of the work! It’s so good and easy, I hope your family loves it!