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Easy Vegetarian Baked Rigatoni

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5 from 1 review

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!

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

  1. 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).
  2. Toss cooked pasta with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and set aside.
  3. While the pasta is cooking, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  4. Add cooked pasta, spaghetti sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and spinach to a 9x13 baking dish along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
  5. Mix until well combined and spread in an even layer.
  6. In a medium bowl, combine Lifeway farmer's cheese with heavy cream and pesto.
  7. Dollop the creamy pesto mixture on top of the pasta.
  8. Then sprinkle with shredded Parmesan.
  9. Finally, place the slices of fresh mozzarella on top.
  10. 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.
  11. Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
  12. Broil for a couple minutes if desired.
  13. Let rest for 5 minutes. Then garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan and enjoy!

Equipment

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!

Nutrition

Find it online: https://midwestfoodieblog.com/easy-vegetarian-baked-rigatoni/