This 5-ingredient oven rigatoni is the kind of cozy, no-fuss dinner that makes weeknights feel special. You start with dry rigatoni right in a deep glass casserole dish—no boiling water, no extra pots—and let the oven do the work. Everything bakes together into a bubbly, cheesy, saucy pasta that tastes like it simmered all afternoon. It’s a Midwest-style family favorite: hearty, simple, and guaranteed to have everyone asking for seconds.
Serve this oven rigatoni with a simple green salad (romaine or mixed greens with ranch or Italian dressing works great) and some warm garlic bread or buttered toast to soak up the extra sauce. A side of steamed green beans or broccoli is an easy way to round out the plate. For a little something extra, sprinkle crushed red pepper or extra Parmesan at the table so everyone can season their own portion just the way they like it.
5-Ingredient Oven RigatoniServings: 6
Ingredients
12 ounces dry rigatoni pasta
3 cups jarred marinara or pasta sauce
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place a deep 9x13-inch glass casserole dish on the counter. Make sure it’s at room temperature so it doesn’t go straight from cold to hot.
Pour the dry rigatoni into the deep glass casserole dish and spread it into an even layer. This should look like a full bed of uncooked pasta covering the bottom.
In a large bowl or measuring pitcher, whisk together the marinara sauce and water until evenly combined. This extra liquid is what will cook the dry pasta right in the dish.
Pour the sauce-and-water mixture evenly over the dry rigatoni, making sure all the pasta is submerged or at least coated with liquid. Gently press down any pieces that are sticking up so they can soften as they bake.
Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top of the sauced pasta. This first layer will melt down into the dish as it cooks and help everything come together.
Cover the glass casserole dish tightly with foil, making sure to crimp the edges so steam can’t easily escape. Place the covered dish on the middle rack of the preheated oven.
Bake, covered, for 40–45 minutes, until the pasta is mostly tender when you carefully peek under the foil and poke a piece with a fork. Be cautious of the hot steam when lifting the foil.
Remove the foil, gently stir the pasta to redistribute the sauce and cheese, and smooth it back into an even layer. If it looks a little dry, you can splash in 1–2 tablespoons of hot water and stir again.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup shredded mozzarella and all of the grated Parmesan evenly over the top of the pasta. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered.
Bake for another 10–15 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted, bubbly around the edges, and lightly golden in spots. If you like a deeper golden top, you can broil on high for 1–2 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t burn.
Carefully remove the hot glass dish from the oven and place it on a trivet or thick towel. Let the rigatoni rest for 5–10 minutes before serving so it can set up slightly and cool to a safe eating temperature.
Scoop into bowls, making sure each serving gets plenty of sauce and cheese from the top. Serve with extra Parmesan at the table if you’d like.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, keep the sauce very simple and smooth—choose a marinara without chunks, onions, or herbs if your kids prefer that. You can also stir in a handful of mini pepperoni or cooked, crumbled sausage after the first bake for a pizza-pasta twist. If you’d like to add some veggies, finely chop bell peppers or spinach and stir them in when you mix the pasta after removing the foil; they’ll soften during the final bake. For extra creaminess, replace 1/2 cup of the water with heavy cream or half-and-half, and stir well into the sauce before pouring over the pasta. To make it a bit lighter, use part-skim mozzarella and reduce the total cheese to about 1 1/2 cups. If you need this to be vegetarian, just be sure to use a marinara that doesn’t contain meat and a Parmesan-style cheese made without animal rennet, if that’s important to you. Food safety tips: Always start with a room-temperature glass casserole dish when going into a hot oven to reduce the risk of thermal shock and cracking. Use oven mitts when handling the dish, and open the foil away from your face to avoid steam burns. Leftovers should be cooled, then stored in a shallow, covered container in the refrigerator within 2 hours of baking and eaten within 3–4 days. Reheat portions until steaming hot all the way through (165°F/74°C) before serving. If you broil at the end for extra browning, keep the dish on the middle or lower rack and watch constantly to prevent scorching.
