Pasta al Forno is my kind of comfort food: rigatoni coated in a hearty beef and tomato sauce, with mozzarella tucked throughout and a layer of melted cheese on top. It serves 6 hungry people, making it a good choice for a family dinner or a table full of friends.
Serve it on its own as a large main, or with one of my Mediterranean Salad recipes. A light and fresh Maroulosalata (Classic Greek Lettuce Salad) or even a Burrata Caprese works really well here as a counterbalance.
Pasta al Forno: Recipe at a Glance
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
65 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings
6 People
Calories*
896 kcal
Difficulty
Easy
Main Ingredients
Ground beef, onion, garlic, canned whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, pasta, spices, mozzarella cheese, Pecorino Romano cheese
Technique
Preparing a meat sauce, under-boiling pasta, and layering pasta and sauce into a baking dish.
*Calories are estimated
Table of Contents
Why My Recipe Works
- It’s straightforward to make. The meat sauce simmers while the pasta cooks, then everything goes into one baking dish. I have made this for a night in, special occasions, and for a potluck.
- Cozy vibes. A bubbling pan of oven-baked pasta feels especially welcome in fall and winter. It’s based on a recipe my mother made for years, but leveled up a bit.
- Tested and reliable: Groceries can be expensive! All my Main Dish recipes are tested by me, my team or recipe testers before posting.
Ingredients
You’ll see how straightforward and simple this recipe is to make. Here’s everything you will need:
- Ground Meat: Traditional pasta al forno uses ground pork, beef, and/or Italian sausage. I wanted to make my recipe more accessible to those who don’t eat pork, so I am only using ground beef here. If you don’t eat beef, ground chicken or ground turkey would work too. Try my Pasta alla Genovese (Beef and Onion Ragù) and Beef Bolognese if you’re a fan of beef pasta mains.
- Spices: A combination of dried basil and dried oregano works really well here. But you can substitute with Italian seasoning. I also like using red pepper flakes and paprika for some warmth and heat, but you can adjust to your taste.
- Wine: The recipe calls for a dry white wine. It deglazes the pan (loosens the browned bits) and adds flavor. You can use half a cup of broth instead. Or if you have red wine, that will work too.
- Canned Tomatoes: To make this recipe accessible and easy to make, canned tomatoes are the way to go. You will need both Canned Plum Tomatoes (they will break down and leave nice chunks of tomato in the sauce) as well as Canned Tomato Sauce (to give the sauce body). Jarred tomato passata is a good option too. You can use my Homemade Marinara Sauce instead.
- Pasta: Rigatoni is traditional, and I like to use it. Its ridges and hollow centers catch the meat sauce. Penne or ziti are good alternatives.
- Cheese: The combination of Mozzarella cheese and Pecorino Romano cheese is traditional. Use a dry mozzarella (the kind that can be cubed or shredded). Don’t use the fresh kind that is sold in brine or water. Parmesan cheese can be used instead of Pecorino.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Pasta al Forno Recipe
Step 1. Brown the Meat. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Add the extra virgin olive oil, ground beef, onion and minced garlic cloves to a large pan over medium-high heat (Image 1). Break the beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon and cook until browned and the onion has softened. Drain off the excess fat.
Step 2. Season. Add the dried basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and paprika (Image 2). Stir constantly for about a minute, until fragrant.
Step 3. Deglaze. Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine has mostly evaporated (Image 3).
Step 4. Add Tomatoes. Add the plum tomatoes, tomato sauce and parsley. Bring to a gentle simmer. Break up the whole tomatoes with the back of a spoon and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes while you cook the pasta (Image 4).
Step 5. Cook Pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni for 2 to 3 minutes less than the package directions for al dente, then drain. It will continue cooking in the oven.
Step 6. Layer. Spread a little meat sauce over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or similar ovenproof dish (Image 5). In a large bowl, combine the pasta with about 5 cups of sauce and half the mozzarella (Image 6). Transfer it to the dish, then top with the remaining sauce (Image 7). Sprinkle over the mozzarella and Pecorino Romano (Image 8).
Step 7. Bake. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted. Let the pasta rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil (Image 9).
Expert Tips
- Avoid mushy pasta. Taking the pasta out of the water 2 to 3 minutes early gives it room to finish cooking in the sauce without turning soft.
- Use enough sauce. The pasta absorbs liquid in the oven, so coat it well and save some sauce for the top. If the sauce has become very thick while simmering, loosen it with a small splash of water before assembling.
- Taste the sauce before assembling. Pecorino adds salt at the end, but the beef and tomatoes should still taste well seasoned on their own.
- Check the depth of your baking dish. This is a generous recipe. A deep 9-by-13-inch dish will make mixing and baking much easier.
- Give it time to rest. Those 10 to 15 minutes help the bubbling sauce settle, making the pasta easier to serve.
Beef Pasta al Forno Recipe FAQs
Yes. Assemble it, cover it and refrigerate for up to a day before baking. Bake it uncovered until the center is hot and the sauce is bubbling; a chilled dish may need longer than the stated 30 minutes.
Refrigerate cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in the oven or microwave, adding a splash of water if the pasta looks dry.
Yes. Freeze the cooled baked pasta in airtight portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until hot throughout. The pasta will be a little softer after freezing.
Other Pasta Recipes
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Beef Pasta al Forno (Baked Rigatoni)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ lbs Ground beef – Use lean ground beef
- 1 Medium onion (diced)
- 6 Garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tablespoon Fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon Dried basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Red pepper flakes – Use less or more, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Paprika
- ½ cup Dry white wine
- 1 Large can of plum tomatoes – Use a large 28 oz (795 gram) can
- 1 Can of tomato sauce – Use a 15 oz (425 gram) can
- 1 lb Rigatoni pasta
- 12 oz Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- ¾ cup Pecorino Romano cheese (grated)
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Brown the Meat. Add the extra virgin olive oil, ground beef, onion and minced garlic cloves to a large pan over medium-high heat. Break the beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon and cook until browned and the onion has softened. Drain off the excess fat.
- Season. Add the dried basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and paprika. Stir constantly for about a minute, until fragrant.
- Deglaze. Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine has mostly evaporated.
- Add Tomatoes. Add the plum tomatoes, tomato sauce and parsley. Bring to a gentle simmer. Break up the whole tomatoes with the back of a spoon and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes while you cook the pasta.
- Cook Pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni for 2 to 3 minutes less than the package directions for al dente, then drain. It will continue cooking in the oven.
- Layer. Spread a little meat sauce over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or similar ovenproof dish. In a large bowl, combine the pasta with about 5 cups of sauce and half the mozzarella. Transfer it to the dish, then top with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle over the mozzarella and Pecorino Romano.
- Bake. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted. Let the pasta rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil.
Notes
- Ground Meat: Traditional pasta al forno uses ground pork, beef, and/or Italian sausage. I wanted to make my recipe more accessible to those who don’t eat pork, so I am only using ground beef here. If you don’t eat beef, ground chicken or ground turkey would work too.
- Spices: A combination of dried basil and dried oregano works really well here. But you can substitute with Italian seasoning. I also like using red pepper flakes and paprika for some warmth and heat, but you can adjust to your taste.
- Wine: The recipe calls for a dry white wine. It deglazes the pan (loosens the browned bits) and adds flavor. You can use half a cup of broth instead. Or if you have red wine, that will work too.
- Canned Tomatoes: To make this recipe accessible and easy to make, canned tomatoes are the way to go. You will need both Canned Plum Tomatoes (they will break down and leave nice chunks of tomato in the sauce) as well as Canned Tomato Sauce (to give the sauce body). Jarred tomato passata is a good option too.
- Pasta: Rigatoni is traditional, and I like to use it. Its ridges and hollow centers catch the meat sauce. Penne or ziti are good alternatives.
- Cheese: The combination of Mozzarella cheese and Pecorino Romano cheese is traditional. Use a dry mozzarella (the kind that can be cubed or shredded). Don’t use the fresh kind that is sold in brine or water. Parmesan cheese can be used instead of Pecorino.
- Avoid mushy pasta. Taking the pasta out of the water 2 to 3 minutes early gives it room to finish cooking in the sauce without turning soft.
- Use enough sauce. The pasta absorbs liquid in the oven, so coat it well and save some sauce for the top. If the sauce has become very thick while simmering, loosen it with a small splash of water before assembling.
- Taste the sauce before assembling. Pecorino adds salt at the end, but the beef and tomatoes should still taste well seasoned on their own.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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