What is the difference between baked ziti and baked rigatoni?

The dishes are very similar with a lot of the same elements. The noodles themselves differ in texture and cut, but both dishes use spaghetti sauce and a variety of cheeses. I prefer rigatoni because the sauce beautifully coats every ridge of the rigatoni.

Do you cover pasta bake when cooking?

Yes, covering the pasta bake with tin foil while it’s in the oven can help cook the dish and melt the cheese. It also ensures that the pasta warms through evenly. If you're using foil, try spraying it with cooking spray before baking the pasta so that it doesn't stick to the cheese!

Easy Vegetarian Baked Rigatoni

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This easy vegetarian baked rigatoni is full of fresh herby flavors, plenty of ooey goey cheese, AND it takes just minutes to prep! Store-bought spaghetti sauce, creamy farmer’s cheese, and fresh basil pesto take this rigatoni bake to the next level!

Author: Kylie
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 10 servings 1x
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stove Top + Oven
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound rigatoni pasta
24 oz. spaghetti sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
3 cups chopped fresh baby spinach
8 oz. Lifeway Farmer’s Cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup basil pesto
1 cup shredded Parmesan
8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese (sliced log)

Garnish

grated Parmesan
fresh chopped parsley
red pepper flakes

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions but reduce the cooking time by 1-2 minutes so it’s quite al dente (since we’ll be baking it).
Toss cooked pasta with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Add cooked pasta, spaghetti sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and spinach to a 9×13 baking dish along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
Mix until well combined and spread in an even layer.
In a medium bowl, combine Lifeway farmer’s cheese with heavy cream and pesto.
Dollop the creamy pesto mixture on top of the pasta.
Then sprinkle with shredded Parmesan.
Finally, place the slices of fresh mozzarella on top.
Spray your foil with cooking spray so it doesn’t stick to the cheese. Then cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
Broil for a couple minutes if desired.
Let rest for 5 minutes. Then garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan and enjoy!

9×13 baking dish

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Notes

Salt that pasta water! I add up to 3 tablespoons of Kosher salt to the water when I make a pound of pasta. This makes a huge difference in the flavor, and it’s your first chance to season the pasta during the cooking process.
Cook your pasta for 2-3 minutes less than the directions suggest. If the cooking time on your pasta is 10-12 minutes, I’d recommend cooking the pasta for 8-9 minutes since it will be baked in the oven as well.
If you have a few minutes to jazz up your spaghetti sauce
Spray your tin foil with cooking spray before covering the pasta dish and baking. This ensures that the melty cheese won’t stick to the foil and will stay put in a nice even layer on top of the pasta.
To test if the casserole is warmed through, carefully insert a butter knife into the center of the rigatoni pasta bake for a few seconds. If it comes out warm/hot you know that the rigatoni bake is cooked. Also, the sauce will start to bubble around the edges a bit when it’s warmed through – that’s another good sign!
If there is a bit of liquid in the bottom of the pan after baking, just let the rigatoni rest for a few minutes and the liquid will be reabsorbed into the casserole (similar to what you’d do with homemade lasagna). This ensures that every bite is super saucy and you won’t end up with a dried out pasta bake!
Feel free to add in other pasta favorites like ground beef, Italian sausage, or ground turkey to this dish! I’d recommend you brown the meat with a bit of garlic powder and dried oregano, drain if needed, then add it along with the spaghetti sauce. You could also add sautéed mushrooms, onions, or zucchini. Even a can of diced tomatoes will add some delicious, chunky tomato flavor!