Description
A comforting baked rigatoni dish featuring Italian sausage, savory tomato sauce, fresh spinach, and creamy Boursin cheese, topped with mozzarella and a crispy breadcrumb crust. This hearty casserole is perfect for family dinners or entertaining guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 lb rigatoni pasta
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 lb Italian sausage (hot or sweet)
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp)
- 5 oz baby spinach
Tomato and Cheese
- 1 24 oz jar prepared tomato sauce (marinara, arrabbiata, or similar)
- 1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
- 4 oz tomato paste
- 1 package Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs Cheese (5.2 oz)
- 12 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
Other Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp Italian breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp dried Italian herbs
- Fresh basil leaves (for garnish and serving)
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the rigatoni dish.
- Cook sausage and vegetables. In a large skillet over medium-high heat on the stovetop, brown the Italian sausage until mostly cooked through. Add diced onions and cook for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Boil pasta. While cooking the sausage mixture, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain when ready.
- Prepare sauce. After garlic is cooked with the sausage and onions, add the jarred tomato sauce, fire roasted tomatoes, and tomato paste to the skillet. Stir and simmer over low heat. Add the baby spinach and cook until wilted.
- Combine pasta and sauce. Mix the drained rigatoni into the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to reach desired consistency. Transfer the mixture evenly into a casserole or baking dish.
- Add cheeses. Crumble the Boursin cheese evenly over the pasta mixture. Then spread the shredded mozzarella cheese over the top.
- Prepare breadcrumb topping and bake. Melt the butter in the microwave for 20-25 seconds, then mix in Italian breadcrumbs and dried Italian herbs. Sprinkle this mixture over the cheese layer in the baking dish. Cover with a lid or foil and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Broil for crisp topping. Remove the cover, switch the oven to broil settings, and broil the rigatoni for 4-5 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven.
- Garnish and serve. Tear or chop fresh basil leaves and sprinkle on top as a garnish. Serve the baked rigatoni hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Use either hot or sweet Italian sausage depending on your spice preference.
- Reserving some pasta water helps loosen the sauce if it gets too thick.
- Covering the baking dish during the initial bake keeps the pasta moist.
- Broiling at the end crisps the breadcrumb topping for added texture.
- Fresh basil adds a bright herbal finish but can be omitted if not available.
