Beef-Mushroom Rigatoni Bake

Rich lean ground beef, cremini mushrooms, and tender baby spinach tossed with rigatoni pasta, marinara, and whole milk ricotta, baked beneath bubbly mozzarella.

• Prep: 20 min
• Cook: 35 min
• Total: 55 min
• Servings: 6
• Cuisine: Italian
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $5.78/serving

Dietary

• Egg-Free
• Nut-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• bake
• comfort food
• rich
• crowd-pleaser
• savory

Ingredients

• 1 pound rigatoni pasta (uncooked)
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 2 pound ground beef (90% lean)
• 8 ounce cremini mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 yellow onion (medium, finely diced)
• 4 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper (ground)
• 1 jar marinara sauce (24 oz)
• 4 cup baby spinach (fresh, packed)
• 8 ounce ricotta cheese (whole milk)
• 8 ounce mozzarella cheese (shredded)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, add the rigatoni pasta, and cook for 9 minutes until just shy of al dente; drain and set aside.
2. While pasta cooks, heat the avocado oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and yellow onion, breaking up the beef for 6 minutes until deeply browned and fully cooked through to 160°F.
3. Add the sliced cremini mushrooms, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook for 4 minutes until the mushrooms release their moisture and soften.
4. Stir in the marinara sauce and baby spinach, cooking for 2 minutes until the spinach wilts down into the sauce. Remove from heat and gently fold in the cooked rigatoni pasta and dollops of whole milk ricotta cheese.
5. Transfer the mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish and top evenly with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
6. Bake uncovered at 375°F for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and lightly golden brown along the edges. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Undercooking the rigatoni slightly during the boil keeps the pasta wonderfully chewy after baking and reheating.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 825
• Protein: 55.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 73.2 g
• Fat: 33.8 g
• Fiber: 6.3 g
• Sodium: 1459 mg
• Saturated Fat: 15.4 g
• Sugar: 12.3 g
• Cholesterol: 152 mg