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Olive Garden Baked Pasta Romana With Beef

Olive Garden Baked Pasta Romana With Beef - recipe card
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A hearty, indulgent baked pasta dish featuring tender rigatoni, seasoned ground beef, and a creamy tomato sauce, all topped with a golden, bubbly blend of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. The pasta is cooked al dente and then baked until the edges are crispy and the center is molten, offering a perfect contrast of textures in every bite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 oz (2 1/2 cups) dried rigatoni pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb (80/20) ground beef
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 small onion)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 oz)
  • 2 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F / 190°C. Bring a large pot of salted water (about 2 tablespoons kosher salt per 4 quarts of water) to a rolling boil. Add the rigatoni and cook for 2 minutes less than the package directions for al dente (about 8-9 minutes). Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water for later use. Do not rinse the pasta; the starch on the surface helps the sauce cling.
  2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large, ovenproof 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes. Do not drain the fat — it adds flavor. Reduce the heat to medium, add the diced onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add the minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and dried basil to the beef mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant and no longer raw. The spices will toast slightly, deepening their flavor.
  4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Look for small bubbles popping lazily across the surface.
  5. In a small bowl, combine the whole milk ricotta cheese and the large egg. Stir with a fork until smooth and fully blended. Set aside. In a separate small bowl, toss the shredded mozzarella with the grated Parmesan until evenly mixed.
  6. Remove the sauce from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated. The sauce should be opaque and pale orange. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
  7. Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce along with 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, if the sauce seems too thick (it should be a bit looser than desired, as the pasta absorbs liquid during baking). Stir gently to coat every pasta tube evenly. Let the pasta sit in the sauce for about 30 seconds to absorb some flavor.
  8. Spoon dollops of the ricotta-egg mixture evenly over the top of the pasta and sauce. Use the back of a spoon to gently spread each dollop into a thin layer, but do not fully stir it in; streaks of ricotta throughout the bake add creamy pockets.
  9. Sprinkle the mozzarella-Parmesan mixture evenly over the entire surface, covering the ricotta completely. Dot the top with small pieces of unsalted butter. The butter will melt and help the cheese brown.
  10. Place the skillet or Dutch oven (uncovered) in the preheated oven, on the middle rack. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top is a deep golden brown and bubbly in spots. If the top is not browned to your liking after 20 minutes, switch the oven to broil for 1-2 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.
  11. Remove from the oven and let the pasta rest for 10 minutes on a wire rack. This resting period allows the sauce to set slightly, preventing it from being runny when served. Serve directly from the skillet, scooping to the bottom to get all the layers.
  12. For best results, use a metal or ceramic baking dish (not glass) for even browning. When shredding mozzarella, avoid pre-shredded bags; they contain anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting. For a spicier kick, add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes along with the dried herbs.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, let the baked pasta cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheat individual portions in the microwave at 70% power for 1-2 minutes, or cover the entire baking dish with foil and reheat in a 350°F / 177°C oven for 15-20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. The pasta may absorb more sauce upon reheating; add a splash of water or milk to restore creaminess.

Nutrition

Keywords: Olive Garden baked pasta Romana with beef, baked pasta with beef, rigatoni bake, Italian-American casserole, ground beef pasta, creamy tomato pasta bake, weeknight dinner, comfort food, baked rigatoni, pasta Romana recipe

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