Description
Creamy rigatoni brings Italian comfort straight to your kitchen with rich mascarpone sauce and al dente pasta. Warm parmesan sprinkles and fragrant herbs create a luxurious meal you’ll savor with pure culinary delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground Italian sausage
- 6 ounces (170 grams) shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups (226 grams) mozzarella cheese, shredded
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 12-ounce (340 grams) can tomato paste
- (2) 15-ounce (425 grams) cans tomato sauce
Pasta, Liquids, and Seasonings:
- 16-ounce (454 grams) box Rigatoni Pasta
- ½ cup (113 grams) butter
- 16 ounces (454 grams) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) pasta water
- 1 tablespoon flour
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama seasoning
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 centimeters) baking dish and warm the oven to 350°F (175°C) for optimal preparation.
- Cook rigatoni pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente, carefully reserving of starchy pasta water before draining.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking the meat into small crumbles; add diced onions and cook until vegetables become translucent.
- Sprinkle dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper into the meat mixture, stirring to distribute seasonings evenly; pour in tomato sauce and reduce heat to simmer for 5-7 minutes.
- Create a velvety white sauce by melting unsalted butter in a separate saucepan, whisking in all-purpose flour to create a roux, then gradually incorporating heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese.
- Thin the white sauce with reserved pasta water, stirring until smooth and achieving a pourable consistency.
- Gently fold cooked rigatoni into the creamy white sauce, ensuring each pasta tube is generously coated.
- Transfer the sauced pasta to the prepared baking dish, spreading it in an even layer.
- Ladle the robust meat sauce over the pasta, then generously sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese across the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes until the cheese melts completely and the edges become golden and bubbly.
Notes
- Elevate your pasta game with this crowd-pleasing comfort dish that transforms simple ingredients into a luxurious meal.
- Perfectly balanced flavors marry tender pasta, rich meats, and creamy sauce for a restaurant-quality experience at home.
- Customize the heat level by adjusting spice quantities or swapping sausage types to match your family’s taste preferences.
- Meal prep champions can assemble this casserole ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to bake, making weeknight dinners effortless.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully, with the sauce maintaining its creamy texture and the cheese melting just as gloriously as the first serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 800 kcal
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 1500mg
- Fat: 55g
- Saturated Fat: 30g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 130mg