Go Back
Baked Rigatoni Pasta with Spinach and Meatballs is the perfect meal for any day of the week! The recipe is made with rigatoni, mini meatballs, spinach, creamy tomato sauce and plenty of mozzarella and parmesan cheese. #pastabake #recipe #dinner #weeknightmeal #meatballs
Print

Baked Rigatoni Pasta with Spinach and Meatballs

Baked Rigatoni Pasta with Spinach and Meatballs is the perfect meal for any day of the week! The rigatoni casserole recipe is made with rigatoni pasta, mini meatballs, spinach, creamy tomato sauce and mozzarella and parmesan cheese. 
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 462.5kcal
Author Ashley C.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

  • 3/4 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 small yellow onion finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 3 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for sprinkling
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped, plus extra for garnish
  • pinch of kosher salt
  • pinch of fresh black pepper

For the pasta:

  • 16 ounces rigatoni pasta
  • 1 heaping cup spinach chopped
  • 25 ounces marinara sauce (1 jar)
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  • To prepare the meatballs, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray or oil.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, onion, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic, parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Mix with a fork until combined. Using a spoon or scoop, roll meat into small 1-inch balls. Repeat with remaining meat and arrange on baking sheet.
  • Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until meatballs are almost cooked through.
  • When the meatballs are cooking, prepare the pasta according to the package instructions.
  • After the meatballs and pasta are done cooking, layer the pasta and meatballs in a large rectangular baking dish (about 9 inches x 13 inches). Sprinkle with chopped spinach.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together marinara sauce and heavy cream. Pour sauce over pasta with spinach and meatballs. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and extra Parmesan cheese, as desired.  Bake in the oven until bubbly and heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with basil, as desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • This meal tastes great as leftovers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat just prior to serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 462.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 22.5g | Fat: 18.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 69.3mg | Sodium: 627mg | Potassium: 168.2mg | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 7.1g | Vitamin A: 0IU | Vitamin C: 0mg | Calcium: 0mg | Iron: 0mg