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5 from 6 votes

Dump & Bake Baked Rigatoni with Meat Sauce

This Dump and Bake Baked Rigatoni is an easy, cheesy comfort food dinner made with tender pasta, seasoned ground beef, marinara, and a creamy cottage cheese filling. Everything bakes together in one dish for a hearty, family-friendly meal with minimal prep and cleanup.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: Beef, coffee recipe, Comfort Food, Dinner, Dump and Bake, Easy Recipes, Family Dinner, Homemade, Italian, One Pan, One Pan Meal, Pasta, Quick Dinner, The Cooking Mawma
Servings: 6

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 9x13-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