My Creamy 3 Cheese Rigatoni recipe could not be easier to prepare for busy weeknights! Flavor packed with 3 cheeses, this one’s a winner for sure.
If you love pasta recipes like we do, try our Chicken Caprese Pasta Bake too!
Cheese Rigatoni
Weeknight dinners just got a whole lot more delicious with my Creamy 3 Cheese Rigatoni. This is a great recipe to teach your pre-teen/teen kids to make with a little assistance. Serve with a nice green salad and breadsticks. Dinner perfection!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy To Make. This pasta is not only delicious, it’s so simple to make! You need just minutes and dinner is on the table!
- Great Leftovers. This pasta dish is just as good warmed up as leftovers. Add a little extra sauce and cheese for a little extra!
What You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this cheese rigatoni at home. See the recipe card located at the bottom of the post for full details!
- Rigatoni– Find rigatoni in the pasta section of your grocery store. Large cylindrical shape.
- Italian Sausage– Use your favorite brand of Italian sausage. I usually get the roll of Jimmy Dean mild variety.
- Pasta Sauce– We love to use Raos brand pasta sauce. Use your favorite.
- Heavy Cream– Heavy cream is added to the pasta sauce for a creamy addition.
- Parmesan Cheese– Use fresh grated Parmesan for best tasting results.
- Cheddar Cheese– Shredded cheddar cheese is added to the pasta along with mozzarella.
- Mozzarella Cheese– Mozzarella cheese is added to the pasta for a cheesy bite!
How To Make Cheese Rigatoni
Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and lightly spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Combine Pasta Ingredients To Mixing Bowl. Place cooked rigatoni, cooked sausage, pasta sauce and heavy cream into a large mixing bowl or pot.
Transfer Pasta To Baking Dish. Transfer half to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Top this portion with Parmesan Cheese and cheddar cheese. Pour remaining pasta over top and top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and dish is hot. Remove and serve immediately.
What Kind Of Pasta Sauce Should I Use?
I have a quick 10 Minute Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipe you can use otherwise there are great options at the grocery store. My favorite pre-made pasta sauce is Trader Joe’s 3 Cheese Pasta Sauce. Barilla and Classico also make good sauces if you don’t feel like making your own. Add your favorite pasta sauce to the bowl.
Tips For Making Creamy 3 Cheese Rigatoni
Don’t Overcook The Pasta. Undercook your Rigatoni by 1 minute to keep it al dente. Anytime I am baking a pasta dish, I follow this rule. This will avoid mushy pasta.
Cheeses! Mix up your cheese choices if desired. Cubed cream cheese and even goat cheese make for delicious options.
Herbs. Add fresh herbs. I love topping with chopped fresh basil before serving.
How To Serve
Serve this 3 Cheese Rigatoni dinner warm with garlic bread if you’d like and a nice salad.
Storage Instructions
Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating Instructions
To reheat the pasta, place pasta in a heat proof bowl, loosely covered in the microwave. Heat for 60-90 seconds, or until hot.
Try More Pasta Recipes
Creamy 3 Cheese Rigatoni
Equipment
- Oven
- 9 x 13 inch baking dish
- Large Skillet/Fry Pan for the sausage
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- mixing spoons
- colander
- Dutch Oven or large pot for the pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked Rigatoni
- 1 pound cooked/browned Italian Sausage ground
- 24 ounce jar of your favorite pasta sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place rigatoni, sausage, pasta sauce and cream into a large mixing bowl or pot. Transfer half to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top this portion with Parmesan Cheese and Cheddar Cheese. Pour remaining pasta over top and top with Mozzarella Cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and dish is hot. Remove and serve immediately.
This is the very first time I made Rigatoni. It was absolutely delicious and easy to make. However, I did alter the dish a bit. I decided to use ground beef instead of sausage. I also added an onion, minced garlic, italian seasonings, 3 tbs butter for the sauce, plus an extra cup of tomato sauce. It was a HUGE success. My husband likes it better than my baked Ziti. Thank you for sharing an awesome recipe.
So glad you enjoyed Jenna, thanks for the feedback.