Baked Rigatoni with Meatballs

About this recipe

Baked Rigatoni with Meatballs is a weeknight pasta bake with a little more going on than a jar of sauce poured over noodles. Onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and garlic are sautéed first, then simmered with the sauce and frozen meatballs, so the vegetables are right in every bite. Everything is tossed with rigatoni, topped with mozzarella, and finished under the broiler for a bubbly, golden crust. A simple green salad and some garlic bread round it out. If you're short on time, you can skip the oven entirely.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper (any color), diced
• 1 zucchini, sliced into half moons
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 25 frozen, fully cooked meatballs
• 1 jar (24 oz) pasta sauce
• 16 oz rigatoni
• Salt, for the pasta water
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 350°F. Fill a large pot with water, salt it, and bring it to a boil over high heat.
2. 2Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes.
3. 3Add the bell pepper and sauté for another 3 minutes.
4. 4Add the zucchini and sauté for another 3 minutes.
5. 5Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
6. 6Stir in the pasta sauce and the frozen meatballs, mixing everything together. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet.
7. 7By now the pot of water should be boiling. Cook the rigatoni for the shortest time listed on the package (for example, if it says 10 to 12 minutes, cook it for 10), then drain.
8. 8Return the pasta to the pot, add the sauce mixture, and stir to combine.
9. 9Spread the pasta mixture evenly in a 9x13 baking dish. Top with the mozzarella and the Parmesan, if using.
10. 10Bake for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
11. 11Turn on the broiler and broil for about 2 minutes to toast the cheese. Watch it closely: the time varies with your oven and the rack position, and you want golden spots, not burnt cheese.
12. 12Remove from the oven and serve.

Tips for the best results

• Cook the pasta for the shortest time on the package. It finishes in the oven, so pasta that's a little firm now turns out just right instead of soft.
• Use fully cooked frozen meatballs. They simmer in the sauce for about 10 minutes and bake for a few more, which heats them through but wouldn't cook raw meat.
• Start the pot of water before you begin chopping so it's boiling right when the sauce is ready. The pasta and the sauce finish at the same time.
• Spread the pasta evenly and cover it all the way to the edges with cheese, so every serving gets some of the toasted top.
• Stay by the oven during the broiler step. Cheese goes from golden to burnt in under a minute, and broilers vary a lot.

Swaps and variations

• Skip the oven for a faster dinner: after you toss the pasta with the sauce in the pot (step 8), top it with the mozzarella and Parmesan, cover the pot, and let the heat of the pasta melt the cheese. You save the oven time and the preheating, though you won't get the toasted top.
• Use penne, ziti, or another sturdy pasta shape in place of the rigatoni.
• Swap the vegetables for mushrooms, spinach, or whatever you have: add spinach right at the end so it wilts.
• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a spoonful of pesto to the sauce.
• Use a different sauce, such as marinara, tomato basil, or a spicy arrabbiata.

Storing and reheating

Cover and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or the whole dish covered in a 350°F oven until hot throughout, about 20 minutes. To make it ahead, assemble it through the cheese, cover, and refrigerate for up to a day, then bake covered until hot and finish under the broiler. The baked dish also freezes, well wrapped, for up to 3 months.