Baked Spicy Rigatoni Casserole
Spicy rigatoni casserole gets a kick from hot Italian sausage. This easy to assemble dish can be made ahead of time and freezes well.
Servings 6 people
Calories 487kcal
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried rigatoni pasta
- 18 ounces hot Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium zucchini diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves chopped (or 1 ½ teaspoons dried)
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano chopped (or 1 ½ teaspoons dried)
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Cook rigatoni according to package directions. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Cook sausage in the same pot over medium heat until no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, remove sausage rom the skillet and set aside to drain. Reserve any remaining grease from the sausage.
- Add the olive oil to the pan if needed. Add the diced zucchini and cook until the zucchini is crisp-tender.
- Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Whisk in the flour and stir until the vegetables are evenly coated and there are no lumps. Cook for two minutes.
- Pour in the tomato sauce.
- Stir in the basil, oregano, cream cheese and Parmesan.
- Add the rigatoni and sausage and back to the pot. Stir until both are coated with the sauce.
- Pour the pasta mixture into a greased 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top.
- Bake for 10 minutes until mozzarella is melted.
Video
Notes
Storage. Cover the spicy rigatoni casserole with a lid or a layer of tin foil and store in the refrigerator within two hours. Consumer within five days.
Freezing. This casserole freezes well, so consider doubling the recipe and freezing one unbaked casserole for later. Eat within three months.
Reheating. Allow a frozen casserole to thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then bake at 375 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes until heated through and the cheese is melted. To reheat a casserole that has not been frozen and stored in the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 250 degrees and bake for one hour until the casserole is heated through. Individual servings can also be reheated for 1-2 minutes in a microwave.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13.6g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 840mg | Potassium: 478mg | Fiber: 4.3g | Sugar: 7.8g
