Rigatoni Bake
This casserole is easy to make and the sauce is out of this world delicious!
Equipment
- 13x9 inch oven safe casserole dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ large onion, chopped
- 1 entire head garlic, minced
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 16 oz tomato sauce
- 12 oz tomato paste
- 16 oz water
- ½ cup red wine
- ½ cup brewed coffee
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 lb rigatoni, cooked al dente
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, and onion, over medium heat until well browned.
- Add sliced mushrooms and cook until softened.
- Drain off excess fat and return to heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water.
- Add sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley.
- Simmer on the stovetop, covered, for about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
- In a mixing bowl combine cooked rigatoni noodles, half the shredded Mozzarella cheese and enough sauce to coat the noodles and cheese.
- Transfer pasta into a 13x9 inch oven safe casserole dish.
- Top pasta with remaining Mozzarella cheese.
- Sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese.
- Cover casserole with foil.
- Bake for 45 minutes until heated all the way through.
- Remove foil and set oven to broil. Cook until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and allow casserole to sit for 10 minutes before serving.