Baked Rigatoni Party Pleaser!

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add sausage; stir to break up lumps and cook until lightly browned and crumbly, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and discard grease.

2. Add undrained tomatoes, water, basil, oregano, and parsley to the pan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and cook, partially covered, for 25 minutes.

3. While the sauce is cooking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

4. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, rinse under cool water, and drain again. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

5. Uncover the sauce and increase heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.

6. Add 2/3 of the sauce to the pasta; toss to combine. Stir in mozzarella cheese and 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Transfer to a 9×13-inch baking dish, pour remaining sauce over top, and cover with aluminum foil.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, and bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes longer.

Cook’s Notes:

If you like it spicy, use 1 pound mild Italian sausage and 1 pound hot Italian sausage. For a healthier version, use turkey sausage.

If freezing and baking later, increase the baking time by 30 minutes.

If you don’t have fresh herbs, use dried instead: 2 teaspoons of dried basil, and 1 teaspoon each of dried oregano and dried parsley.