This baked Italian vodka rigatoni meal is so incredibly easy to make, you’d wish I never said that – because you’re going to want this one ALL THE TIME. It’s such a nice replacement of traditional spaghetti, and it’s perfect leftovers. Win win, right? The only difference is I’m not a big vodka fan, and it’s kid-friendly, so the Vodka sauce is minus the Vodka, folks! But it’s still just as AMAZING.
Not only is this dish simple, it’s inexpensive AND takes less than 40 minutes to whip up. So, get the family, and let them know in preparation it’s a kitchen table family-style kind of dinner tonight.
Begin by bringing a pot of water to boil for the Rigatoni. In the meantime, brown the ground beef in a large sauce pan. Add the fresh minced garlic, chopped onion and optional spices to the beef mixture.
Once the meat has browned, add 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and the jar of tomato sauce. Add the Rigatoni to the boiling pot while the meat sauce simmers for about 4-5 minutes. You want the pasta Al Dente since everything will be baked in the oven.
Drain and add the Rigatoni to the meat sauce. Then add the 1 cup of graded Parmesan. Mix thoroughly before placing all into a casserole dish. Add two large dollops of Ricotta cheese on top, and sprinkle extra parsley or oregano on top before placing in the oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes. It's as simple as that!
