Description
A comforting baked pasta dish featuring rigatoni in a creamy tomato sauce, topped with a golden-brown layer of seasoned panko breadcrumbs and melted mozzarella.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb rigatoni pasta
- 24 oz marinara or tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F (190C).
- Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the rigatoni for 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the tomato sauce and heavy cream. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.
- Stir the cooked rigatoni into the sauce until evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour half of the pasta mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella and a handful of parmesan.
- Top with the remaining pasta mixture and the rest of the mozzarella.
- In a small bowl, combine melted butter, panko breadcrumbs, and the remaining parmesan cheese. Spread this mixture evenly over the top of the pasta.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the crumbs are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh basil, and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American