Take traditional pasta to a whole new level with a family favorite recipe for Easy Cheesy Rigatoni Pie.
Have you ever seen ordinary pasta look more extraordinary?
Just look at those tubes of tasty carbs standing at attention, filled with tangy marinara sauce and sporting a gooey, yet simultaneously crispy blanket of melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. It’s rigatoni pie perfection. And all that separates you from a big ol’ slice of this savory satisfaction is five simple ingredients.
This recipe is the definition of my mantra to keep things easy but impressive in the kitchen. I love a dish that looks and tastes like it took days to make but really didn’t tie you to your kitchen for more than an hour.
Perhaps the most laborious step to this eye-popping pasta pie is getting the rigatoni stacked in the pan. But once the noodles are upright, it’s mere minutes until this dish enters the oven.
When you’re ready to get saucy, you’ve got a trio of options to choose from:
Depending on your time constraints, you can go the homemade or store-bought route for any of the above.
And the final step? A hearty sprinkling of shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheeses. And I mean hearty.
We need enough cheese to create a comforter of creamy dairy over those upright tubes-o-sauce. Baking the rigatoni pie first covered with foil ensures the gooeyness factor, while a final few minutes uncovered ensures that white cheese takes on a deep golden brown color and slight crunch around the edges.
We’re looking for a moon-like surface with craters of crunch.
Say it with me now: CRATERS. OF. CRUNCH.
Have I sold you yet on this updated take on simple spaghetti? Are we ready to graduate from piles of pasta to pies of pasta? I hear a resounding, “YES! Yes, Kelly. Take me to Easy Cheesy Rigatoni Pie nirvana!” Well, now you’re only a scroll away…
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Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 1/2 cups homemade or store-bought marinara sauce
- 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until it is barely al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta, transfer to a baking sheet and toss it with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Grease a 9-inch springform pan with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Using your hands, stand each tube of rigatoni up in the pan in a single layer covering the entire base of the pan.
- Pour the marinara sauce on top of the rigatoni then transfer the pan onto a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Top the marinara sauce with the shredded mozzarella and Parmesan then cover the pan with foil.
- Bake the rigatoni pie for 30 minutes then remove the foil on top and bake it another 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the rigatoni pie cool for 10 minutes before releasing the sides of the pan and slicing and serving the pie.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Recipe adapted from Food Network.
How do you get the damn rigatoni to stand up. Totally gave up and just made the old way laying down in A 9×13 help I really want to make this
Hi Claudia! The trick is to cook the pasta until it is barely al dente (in other words, the pasta should still be firm). :)
Amazing recipe amazing and fish! I tried it today and it was a big hit! – thank you so much for sharing!!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Nekyna!
I have made this pie twice now, and enjoyed it both times. Delicious!
I’m so happy you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Elaine!
Made the Rigatoni Pie. Absolutely delicious! Thank you for posting it.
January 15, 2022
You are so welcome, Jacqueline! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Rigatoni pie recipe is outrageous. Perfect every time
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Val!
I added ground Hot Italian Sausage (Partially cooked) to the top then layered the cheese on top of it. It added a great taste to it plus you have your meat with your Pasta. Thanks for the recipe
YUM! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Robin!
Love the taste but mine fell apart as soon as I cut into it. How do you
prevent that?
Did you let it cool for a bit before slicing into it? That will help!
Very delicious
I love this recipe. Made it for the 2nd time tonight. It looks amazing when served, tastes amazing for a nice simple mid week dinner and surprisingly doesn’t take as long as you’d expect to put the pasta in place!
YESSSS! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Clare!
I made this but did an alfredo sauce, the flavor was great, just the cutting was a little off, sort of just clumped apart, def good for presentation to serve. I’m a private chef and baker, my customers would buy this just for the look
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I seen it done with string cheese put in the tubes and the sauce and meat and cheese on the top . I have not tried it yet how long would it take to cook it ?
I haven’t tried that method, Sandy, so I’m not sure what the bake time would be.
Super easy to make. I waited for a day off of work to do this. But this is something I could’ve done after work. Good to know now!
YESSSS! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Nicki!
I added a layer of provolone too. It was very good, thank you for the recipe!
YUM! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it, Kathy!
delisious!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Diana!
Made this twice now. Family love the ‘cake’ affect freezes well (double batch) Always goes down well Thank you
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
Easy and delicious!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Rose!
i’m thinking of stuffing the noodles with ricotta, using a pastry bag. what do you think?
Hi David – I’ve never tried that but I don’t see why not!
Glen, what is a reading rack? A book stand? I don’t get it! Explain please
Made it for my kids last night, got tons of oohs, and aawwwsss, presientstion is everything, mine stood up perfectly. I love your site and all of your creative ideas!! Thanks for sharing!! And congrats on the new addition to the fam!!
I’m thrilled you and your family enjoyed the recipe, Trey! And thank you so much!
I used a reading rack while stacking the pasta, put the pan in there, the pan filled quickly….
Glen
Great idea, Glen!
How do you keep the rigatoni standing up?
Hi Rebecca! The trick is to cook the pasta until it is barely al dente. :)
Great idea, my compliments Kelly! For your creative followers, versatility is unlimited with this outstanding recipe.
Thanks so much, Vincent!
Do you have to stand the rigitoni upright? Couldn’t you just make a base of the pasta laying flat? I think it would take me 20 hours to stand them all up.
Thanks!
Tracy
Hi Tracy! I’d recommend making another pasta dish, like this Cheesy Baked Penne Pasta with Sausage (https://www.justataste.com/cheesy-baked-penne-pasta-sausage-recipe/). :)
Mine looked just like yours….until I cut it. The noodles did not stick together at all. Ended up with a pile of rigatoni and sauce with some cheese. The noodles were perfectly al dented but I really wanted the cool factor of the pie shape!
Hi Lola – Did you allow the pie to cool 10-20 minutes before slicing to serve?
We are both into pasta like nothing else exists ! Thank you for this beautiful and creative idea !