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Baked Rigatoni with Homemade Melt-In-Your-Mouth Meatballs

Teresa Ambra
This delectable pasta entree uses meatballs cooked in spaghetti sauce for a scrumptious melt-in-your-mouth kind of taste. This layered casserole is filled with cheese and flavor and will satisfy any Italian pasta lover's food cravings.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Beef, Pasta
Cuisine Italian
Servings 12
Calories 448 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large stock pot with lid
  • 1 colander to drain pasta
  • 2 large mixing bowls
  • 1 Dutch oven with lid
  • 2 wooden spoons
  • 1 9x13" glass baking dish
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons

Ingredients
  

BAKED RIGATONI & SAUCE:

  • 16 oz. rigatoni pasta uncooked
  • 24 oz. jar Classico Fire Roasted Tomato & Garlic spaghetti sauce
  • 24 oz. jar Classico Spicy Tomato and Basil spaghetti sauce
  • 24 oz. jar Prego Three cheese spaghetti sauce or sauce of your choice
  • 2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 2 8-oz. bags Mozzarella cheese shredded, divided use
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped, or 2 tbsp. dried parsley
  • 1 large egg slightly beaten
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano divided
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1 tsp. fennel seed
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese grated, divided use
  • cooking spray
  • meatballs (recipe below)

FAMOUS MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH MEATBALLS:

  • 1 1/2-2 lbs. 93% lean beef you can use a mixture of ground beef, pork and veal
  • 1 large egg slightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic from a jar or about 5-6 large garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp. Lawry’s seasoned salt
  • 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper or to taste
  • 1/3 cup 2% milk can use up to 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped, or 2 tablespoons dried parsley

Instructions
 

BAKED RIGATONI AND SAUCE:

  • Cook rigatoni according to package directions; drain in colander; set aside.
  • In a large Dutch oven, pour three jars of marinara sauce.
  • Add 1 tsp. oregano, the basil and and the fennel seed to the sauce and cook meatballs as directed below.
  • After meatballs are finished cooking, in large bowl, combine cooked rigatoni, 2 cups spaghetti sauce (from where you cooked the meatballs), ricotta cheese, 8-oz. bag of the mozzarella cheese, ½ cup parmesan cheese, parsley, egg, oregano, garlic powder and pepper.
  • In a greased 9" x 13" pan, pour 2 cups spaghetti sauce (from where you cooked the meatballs) and ½ the meatballs on the bottom of the pan; spread rigatoni mixture evenly over sauce.
  • Top with more meatballs and remaining spaghetti sauce and spread evenly; sprinkle with remaining half cup of parmesan cheese.
  • Push the meatballs down into the rigatoni mixture.
  • Bake covered at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
  • Then top with additional mozzarella cheese.
  • Bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese has melted.

FAMOUS MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH MEATBALLS:

  • Place all ingredients together in a large bowl.
  • I use my hands to mix the meatballs.
  • Shape meat mixture into small meatballs.
  • Drop the meatballs into simmering pasta sauce.
  • Cover with lid and do not stir for at least 20 minutes or the meatballs will break apart.
  • Continue cooking in the simmering sauce for another 20 minutes or until done.
  • If desired, you can cook the sauce a little longer to meld the flavors.
  • Otherwise, follow the directions above to assemble the casserole.

Notes

NOTE: You may also bake the meatballs on a cookie sheet at 350° for 25 minutes or until cooked through.
 
NOTE: Cooking the meatballs in the simmering pasta sauce will add extra flavor to both the sauce and the meatballs so that they will be extremely tender.
 
NOTE: The meatballs will cook more quickly if you have a higher simmer, but try not to cook these on too high a heat or they will break apart. Keep the heat as low as possible, while still keeping the sauce simmering.
 
NOTE: The meatballs take 45 minutes to cook in the pasta sauce. The preparation time is actually included in the above recipe so you do not need to add an additional 45 minutes to cook the meatballs. Total cooking time for both is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.
 
NOTE: You MUST use a 93% or 96% lean ground beef to make these meatballs or when they cook in the sauce a lot of grease will ooze out into the spaghetti sauce.
 
Meatball recipe adapted from Kitten Cal's Kitchen.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
[nutrition-label]

Nutrition

Calories: 448kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 31gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 1411mgPotassium: 971mgFiber: 6gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1347IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 321mgIron: 6mg
Keyword beef, casserole, cheese, main dish, meatballs, pasta
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