Garden Rigatoni Baked Pasta
This Garden Rigatoni Baked Pasta is full of healthy veggies and delicious meat. Time to get your eating on!
Servings Prep Time
4-6people 40mintues
Cook Time
25mintues
Servings Prep Time
4-6people 40mintues
Cook Time
25mintues
Ingredients
Veggie prep
Sauce
Topping
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Throw in the rigatoni and cook according to the package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, start chopping the zucchini, and carrots, into small bite sized pieces. (I cut both the zucchini and carrots in to quarters.) Mince the onions, and garlic as well and chop the fresh thyme. Set the veggies aside.
  2. When the pasta has finished cooking, drain, and toss with a little olive oil in a separate bowl so the pasta doesn’t stick together. Set aside for later.
  3. In a large frying pan heat the olive oil up on low heat. Add in the sausage, (Take the casings off first, if you bought links.) With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, break the sausage up into bite sized pieces while it’s cooking. Cook for 10 minutes, or until done, and cooked through. (Note: the “low” setting on my stove tends to run very warm so I kept my heat on low the whole time. If you find that your sausage is not cooking fast enough by all means turn up the heat, just be sure to not burn it, as sausage tends to cook fast.
  4. Once sausage is cooked, transfer to a plate and set aside. Using the same pan as the sausage, no need to wash it, add in the additional olive oil and throw in the zucchini, and carrots. Let cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
  5. Next, add in the onions, garlic, fresh thyme, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for an additional 5 minutes.
  6. Now add back in the sausage, and throw in the canned crushed tomatoes, marinara sauce, marscopone cheese and half of the Romano cheese. Stir until the marscopone is melted and everything is combined. Cook on medium heat for 5 more minutes.
  7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 9×13 baking dish, combine the pasta and your pan of the sauce you just made together. Stir until everything is evenly coated and top with the remaining Romano cheese. NOTE: If you find that not all of your pasta is covered in sauce, or if it just does’t feel like enough add in a little bit of water or additional marinara sauce.
  8. Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly on the sides.