Save A stunning baked rigatoni dish where pasta stands upright, filled with rich tomato sauce, creamy ricotta, and gooey melted cheese—perfect for impressing guests and feeding a crowd.
I first made this honeycomb pasta cake for a family dinner and everyone was wowed by the look and the flavor. It takes some assembly, but it's worth every minute for the way guests react when you slice into it.
Ingredients
- Pasta: 500 g (1 lb) rigatoni
- Ricotta cheese: 350 g (1 ½ cups)
- Mozzarella cheese: 200 g (2 cups), divided
- Parmesan cheese: 50 g (½ cup) grated
- Egg: 1 large
- Fresh parsley: 2 tbsp, chopped
- Salt: ½ tsp
- Ground black pepper: ¼ tsp
- Olive oil: 4 tbsp (2 tbsp for sauce, 2 tbsp for greasing and brushing)
- Onion: 1 small, finely chopped
- Garlic cloves: 3, minced
- Canned crushed tomatoes: 800 g (28 oz)
- Tomato paste: 2 tbsp
- Dried oregano: 1 tsp
- Dried basil: ½ tsp
- Sugar: ½ tsp
- Salt and pepper: to taste
- Extra parsley and Parmesan: for garnish
Instructions
- Prep Pan:
- Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Grease a 23 cm (9-inch) springform pan with olive oil and line the base with parchment paper.
- Boil Pasta:
- Cook rigatoni in a large pot of salted boiling water until very al dente (about 2 minutes less than package instructions). Drain and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil. Set aside.
- Cook Sauce:
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Mix Cheese Filling:
- In a bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth.
- Fill Pasta:
- Stand rigatoni upright and tightly packed in prepared pan. Use a piping bag or spoon to fill each tube with ricotta mixture.
- Assemble & Bake:
- Pour sauce evenly over filled pasta, letting it seep down between noodles. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over top. Cover loosely with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbling.
- Rest & Serve:
- Let rest 10 minutes before releasing springform pan. Garnish with extra parsley and Parmesan. Slice and serve.
Save Our kids love helping pipe the ricotta into the pasta tubes, and sharing slices together always brings out lots of smiles around the table.
Variations
Add cooked ground beef or Italian sausage to the sauce for a heartier version, or spice things up with a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Serving Suggestions
This pasta cake pairs beautifully with a crisp green salad and a glass of Chianti for an effortless Italian-inspired meal.
Nutrition Info
Each serving (1/6 of the cake) has about 535 calories, 22 g fat, 58 g carbohydrates, and 26 g protein.
Save This pasta cake always steals the show. Enjoy every slice and the smiles it brings to your next gathering.
Recipe FAQ
- → What pasta is best for this bake?
Rigatoni is ideal due to its large, sturdy tubes that can stand upright and hold the cheese filling.
- → Can I prepare this dish ahead of time?
Yes, you can assemble the entire pasta cake a day ahead and bake it just before serving.
- → How do I prevent the pasta from sticking to the pan?
Generously grease the springform pan with olive oil and use parchment paper to help with easy release.
- → Is it possible to add protein to this dish?
You can mix in cooked ground beef or Italian sausage with the sauce for a heartier result.
- → What’s the best way to fill the pasta tubes?
A piping bag makes it easy to fill each rigatoni with the cheese mixture, but a small spoon also works.
- → What can I serve alongside?
A crisp green salad and a glass of Chianti complement the flavors of this dish perfectly.