Description
Tuscan Baked Rigatoni is a hearty and comforting pasta bake made with rigatoni, ground beef, creamy tomato sauce, cannellini beans, spinach, and loads of melted cheese. It’s a family-friendly dinner perfect for busy weeknights or cozy weekends.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta, cooked
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 8 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
- 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked rigatoni pasta with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add ground beef and cook for about 5 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
- Transfer the cooked ground beef to the pasta mixture and mix well. Set aside.
- In the same skillet, add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds over medium-high heat.
- Add heavy cream, crushed tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Stir in chopped spinach and cannellini beans. Cook for another 2 minutes until spinach wilts.
- Remove from heat and pour the sauce into the pasta mixture. Gently toss everything together until evenly combined.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Use ground turkey or Italian sausage for a different protein option.
- Substitute gluten-free pasta if needed for dietary preferences.
- This dish can be prepped ahead and stored in the fridge before baking.
- Leftovers reheat well and make a great lunch the next day.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
