Gluten-Free Stuffed Rigatoni Bake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ pound large gluten free rigatoni noodles You can use regular if you don't follow a GF diet.
- 16 ounces full-fat ricotta
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 6 ounces grated parmesean
- 12 ounces shredded mozzarella
- 2 large eggs
- 8 ounce fresh mozzarella ball
- Salt and pepper
Meat Sauce:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 14.5-ounce cans stewed or roasted whole tomatoes undrained
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon italian herbs blend
Instructions
Pasta:
- Follow the instruction for your specific pasta but cut the cook time in half. Drain the semi-cooked pasta and set it aside to fully cool.1½ pound large gluten free rigatoni noodles
Meat Sauce:
- Combine the onion and 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot. Cook over medium-high heat until the onions are slightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.1/4 cup diced onion
- Add the ground beef and cook until browned on one side. Use a spatula to break it up into small pieces and continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes. Once browned, scoop the beef into a bowl and set aside.1 pound lean ground beef
- In the same pot, add the remaining oil. Sauté the whole tomatoes and garlic until they soften, about 7-7 minutes. Add the Italian herbs.2 14.5-ounce cans stewed or roasted whole tomatoes, 1 tablespoon italian herbs blend, 4 cloves garlic
- Using an immersion blender, pulse the tomatoes until they form a smooth puree.
Assembly:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and shredded mozzarella. Stir until the mixture is smooth and well incorporated.16 ounces full-fat ricotta, 8 ounces cream cheese, 6 ounces grated parmesean, 2 large eggs, 8 ounce fresh mozzarella ball, Salt and pepper
- Transfer the ricotta mixture into a piping bag fitted with a wide tip.
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread a thin layer of meat sauce evenly across the bottom of the pan.
- Carefully pipe the ricotta mixture into each pasta tube and arrange them in a single layer on top of the meat sauce. Once the bottom of the dish is covered, add another layer of meat sauce over the noodles and continue filling the remaining pasta tubes with the ricotta mixture.
- Spread the remaining meat sauce evenly over the top and finish by placing pieces of fresh mozzarella on top.12 ounces shredded mozzarella
- Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes. In the final 5 minutes of baking, switch the oven to broil to achieve a lightly crisped cheese topping.