By Anadi Misra · Updated · originally published
By Anadi Misra · Updated · originally published
By Anadi Misra · Updated · originally published
About this recipe
Cheesy Baked Rigatoni with Sausage is the ultimate comfort dinner. Loaded with rich, meaty flavor and bubbling cheese, this easy casserole is a crowd-pleasing Italian classic your family will request again and again.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy
Watch the recipe
At the time of writing this the first snowfall of the year happened last night. Oh if only I had this for dinner last night! But the temperatures have been quickly dropping, and when I did make this it was much needed!
Let me tell you guys about a dream I’ve had for a very long time. To be totally honest with you, I’ve always wanted to make a giant casserole and eat the whole thing myself. When cooking for yourself or for two, you don’t really get the opportunity to make family-sized casseroles! As the cold weather started to come in, I was really craving some good comfort food. So, one chilly evening, I made that dream come true and experimented with this awesome Cheesy Sausage Rigatoni recipe! Okay, the first attempt I didn’t have the sausage and my sauce was a bit different, but the casserole was still huge and all to me! It was officially the cheesiest pasta I have ever made, and I couldn’t be more proud of it!
What I had originally done was make a spiced up tomato sauce with some whole spices and added in some shredded chicken. Maybe I’ll do that another time, but I was really feeling my latest 5-Minute Pizza Sauce to use in this comforting casserole! Also, who doesn’t love sausage? Homemade sausage is so easy to make and perfect for a cozy pasta bake!
If you love cheese, sauce, and meat, then this is the ultimate pasta bake for you! It’s extremely creamy, you’ve got those awesome giant tubes of rigatoni loaded with our sauce and sausage, and we’ve got some crispy bacon bits to finish off the dish! Every bite will be full of cheese, sauce, meat and pasta! You won’t want this casserole to end, believe me! Are you ready to serve your family the perfect sausage rigatoni pasta bake? Then let’s get to it!
Let’s go over what we’ll need to make our sausage, tomato sauce, and additional ingredients to bring our casserole all together. For all measurements and the full instructions, make sure you scroll down to the bottom of this post for the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD, and be sure to save the recipe for later! Depending on how large or small your casserole is, you can easily scale the measurements down to make the appropriate amount of sausage, sauce, and pasta!
For more details about the tomato sauce and ideas on how to use any extra sauce, check out the full recipe for No-Cook Italian Pizza Sauce!
For this Rigatoni Sausage Bake recipe I’m using minced chicken because I wanted the poultry to balance out the bacon, and I felt the flavors of the poultry nicely complemented the tomato sauce. Feel free to substitute with ground turkey or pork or even use a combination of minced meats! Your favorite minced meat will work just fine, but keep in mind that the overall taste will be different, of course!
I don’t see why not! If you don’t eat pork then certainly go for turkey bacon. The bacon is used for garnish on top of the casserole when it’s finished baking, and it’ll add a nice crunch and texture. Turkey bacon will achieve the same effect here, just the taste will be a bit different, as with using a different ground meat to make the sausage! You could also use ham if you’d like, or try experimenting with pancetta or chorizo if you don’t have bacon and eat pork!
Sure! I loved using rigatoni here because of the size and the large holes, which meant that the sauce, the meat and the cheese could be nicely filled in there when mixing! Yum, those were some heavenly bites! I recommend any large tube-shaped pasta. You could certainly use ziti to make this a baked ziti, or use penne or macaroni. An alternative I would also recommend is Chiocciole, which is essentially a fat macaroni! I used it in my Bacon & Bolognese Pasta Bake and it was awesome for the same reason! Another large tubed shape that would be great here is Maccheroni, which are the straight tubes.
Garlic bread would be so awesome here! This is going to be a very saucy bake, so some bread to mop up that luscious sauce on your plate and on the edges of the casserole would be incredible! If you can’t get enough cheesy goodness, then certainly go for cheesy garlic bread!
Some Fried Mozzarella Sticks would be an incredible appetizer too! I use this same tomato sauce as a dipping sauce for the mozzarella sticks, so if you’ve got extra sauce, you can go ahead and dip your sticks into the sauce!
You also can’t go wrong with a Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, that’s always a classic side dish and you’ll get in your greens!
Of course! You’ve got two options:
First, if you’re going to make this Cheesy Baked Rigatoni with Sausage for a family gathering, you could certainly prep all the components inside the casserole and assemble it, with the exception of the bacon and the basil. I love my KitchenAid casserole because there’s a lid, so you can cover the casserole with the lid and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake! If your casserole doesn’t have a lid, cover it with plastic wrap.
If you’ve cooked the casserole and have leftovers, then store the leftovers in an airtight container or leave them in your casserole, covering with a lid or plastic wrap. Leftover Sausage Rigatoni Bake will stay good in the fridge for about 3 days. To reheat, you could either add the casserole back in the oven, or if you’re in a hurry, you can microwave for 2-3 minutes, mixing at one-minute intervals to ensure it is entirely warmed through.
If your casserole is freezer-friendly, then you could freeze your assembled casserole. If your casserole doesn’t have a lid, cover the casserole with plastic wrap. Place your casserole a large Ziploc bag to ensure that there won’t be any freezer burn. Find a flat spot in your freezer and freeze for 2-3 months. To cook the sausage rigatoni casserole from frozen, let it thaw out in the fridge over night and then cook until the pasta is warmed through and the cheese is molten.
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!
Recipe by Anadi Misra
Cheesy Baked Rigatoni with Sausage is the ultimate comfort dinner. Loaded with rich, meaty flavor and bubbling cheese, this easy casserole is a crowd-pleasing Italian classic your family will request again and again.
Oven-baked
Be the first to rate ✦
15 min
Prep
35 min
Cook
50 min
Total
2
servings
medium
Level
Tap any quantity to scale
To prepare the sausage, measure all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine. This can be done 2-3 days in advance.
To prepare the sausage, measure all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine. This can be done 2-3 days in advance.
In a large bowl, add all the ingredients and mix well to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, Bomba/Calabrian chilies or chili flakes.
In a large bowl, add all the ingredients and mix well to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, Bomba/Calabrian chilies or chili flakes.
Preheat oven to 400 F and boil water to cook the pasta for about 7-8 minutes, or until al dente.
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C) and boil water to cook the pasta for about 7-8 minutes, or until al dente.
Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add sausage and cook until no longer pink. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add sausage and cook until no longer pink. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Heat the tomato sauce or prepare the sauce if you have not already in a pan and add cooked pasta, mix well to coat. Transfer half the pasta into a casserole and layer with half the mozzarella and cooked sausage. Add rest of the pasta followed by sausage and mozzarella.
Heat the tomato sauce or prepare the sauce if you have not already in a pan and add cooked pasta, mix well to coat. Transfer half the pasta into a casserole and layer with half the mozzarella and cooked sausage. Add rest of the pasta followed by sausage and mozzarella.
Transfer casserole to oven and bake 10-15 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.
Transfer casserole to oven and bake 10-15 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.
While the pasta is cooking, chiffonade the basil by stacking 7-8 basil leaves, rolling them tightly into a cigar and slicing the basil thinly. Add bacon strips to a cold pan and set the heat to medium. Cook until the bacon is golden brown and crispy while turning often.
While the pasta is cooking, chiffonade the basil by stacking 7-8 basil leaves, rolling them tightly into a cigar and slicing the basil thinly. Add bacon strips to a cold pan and set the heat to medium. Cook until the bacon is golden brown and crispy while turning often.
Once the bacon is cooked, pat any excess grease on a paper towel and chop into bits. Top the pasta with fresh basil and bacon bits, serve hot and enjoy:)
Once the bacon is cooked, pat any excess grease on a paper towel and chop into bits. Top the pasta with fresh basil and bacon bits, serve hot and enjoy:)
1089
Calories
49g
Protein
108g
Carbs
52g
Fat
10g
Fiber
17g
Sugar
3108mg
Sodium
Did you make this recipe? Tag @cooking.with.anadi on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingwithanadi
Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen
Cheesy Baked Penne with Spicy Italian Sausage is the ultimate comfort dinner. Loaded with bold flavors, bubbly cheese, and hearty sausage baked in rich marinara sauce. A crowd-pleasing meal everyone will love.
Recipe history
Cheesy, bubbly, and ready in no time — this Easy Baked Spaghetti Casserole is the ultimate family dinner. Loaded with marinara and melted cheese, it is pure comfort food.
Cheesy, saucy, and satisfying, this baked spaghetti recipe layers hearty meat sauce with melted cheese for the ultimate comfort dinner. Easy to make and perfect for feeding a crowd.
Hearty Bacon & Bolognese Macaroni Bake combines creamy, cheesy pasta with rich meat sauce and crispy bacon. The ultimate comfort food fusion that the whole family will love.
Cheesy Stuffed Shells filled with creamy ricotta and spinach, topped with bold Amatriciana sauce. A satisfying Italian casserole perfect for dinner or lunch that the whole family will love.
Cheesy Oven-Baked Meatball Casserole smothered in rich marinara sauce is the ultimate Italian comfort dinner. Juicy beef meatballs, bubbly melted cheese, and bold flavor in every bite. A crowd-pleasing meal the whole family will love.
Free guide
Easy weeknight dinners you'll make on repeat.
Join 40,000+ home cooks who visit Cooking With Anadi every month.
@cooking.with.anadi
Tag your makes with #cookingwithanadi
Comments
No comments yet — be the first to share your thoughts!
Leave a review
Be the first to share how it went — your note helps other cooks (and earns the recipe its stars).