Description
Baked rigatoni with sausage and peppers is a feed-a-crowd Italian-American dinner that comes together in one skillet before it hits the oven. Rigatoni tubes catch the sauce and melted cheese in their hollows, sausage adds savory depth, and bell peppers add sweetness.
Ingredients
Units
- 1 lb rigatoni
- 1 lb Italian sausage (hot or sweet), casings removed
- 2 bell peppers (red and yellow), sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook the rigatoni to 2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain.
- Brown the sausage in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking into crumbles, about 7 minutes.
- Add the peppers and onion, cook 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in the marinara, broth, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Add the drained rigatoni and toss to coat. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan over the top.
- Transfer to the oven and bake 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly with golden spots. Garnish with basil.
Notes
- Undercook the pasta by 2 full minutes — it finishes in the sauce and oven. Fully cooked pasta turns to mush once baked.
- Hot Italian sausage gives the dish a kick, but sweet sausage keeps things milder if you’re feeding kids.
- Using an oven-safe skillet means you go from stovetop to oven without transferring to a baking dish — one less thing to wash.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 880
- Fat: 22
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 70