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This Easy Rigatoni with Cheese is cooked in a rectangular ceramic grey baking pan. There is also a man's hand with a fork dipping into the pasta with melted cheese.

Easy Cheesy Rigatoni Bake (for Busy Weeknights)

Written by Published on Updated on October 9, 2026 in Mediterranean cuisine

Hello,

There are a few dishes that bring people to the table faster, and that is a bubbling tray of oven-baked cheese rigatoni pasta. Golden, cheesy, and perfectly baked until the edges become slightly crispy, this hearty pasta bake is everything comfort food should be.  I think pasta dishes in general do that, but this one reallyyyyy takes the cake!!!  Just look at that mozzarellaaa in the photo heheheh

The hollow tubes of rigatoni are the perfect pasta choice because they capture the creamy sauce inside, ensuring every bite is packed with flavour. Once topped with plenty of cheese and baked until beautifully golden, the result is an irresistible pasta dish that disappears quickly.

This recipe has all the characteristics of a classic comfort food favourite.  First, it’s incredibly easy to make. There’s nothing complicated about preparing this baked pasta dish, making it suitable for both beginner and experienced home cooks.  Second, it’s versatile. You can easily add vegetables and herbs. Most importantly, it delivers the creamy, cheesy goodness that makes baked pasta recipes so loved around the world.

Not all pasta shapes are created equal when it comes to baked dishes.  Rigatoni has those large ridges along its surface and hollow centre. These ridges allow the sauce to cling to the pasta while also filling the tubes with flavour. During baking, the rigatoni absorbs the sauce; this creates a richer and more satisfying texture.  Unlike thinner pasta, rigatoni keeps its structure in the oven and won’t become mushy.

One reason I love this oven-baked cheese rigatoni pasta is its practicality.  You can prepare it ahead of time and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. (which I often do)  It’s also a fantastic dish for family celebrations and Sunday Lunch or dinners.

Serve this Easy Cheesy Rigatoni Bake wth a salad or garlic bread, and I am sure that everyone will love it!.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!! 🙂

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Oven baked rigatoni with cheese that melts. There is a man's hand pulling the rigatoni with a fork and the cheese that has melted. Oven baked in a rectangular ceramic baking pan.

Easy Rigatoni with Cheese Bake

foodzesty
This Easy Cheesy Rigatoni Bake is a delicious and simple meal for busy weeknights. Made with a variety of cheeses that melt.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups rigatoni pasta
  • 1 cup cream cheese
  • ½ cup Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese Any salty cheese of your choice.
  • 1 ½ cups mozzarella grated
  • ½ cup mozzarella for topping
  • 2 eggs medium-sized, whisked
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • pepper
  • salt This is optional because we have already added a salty cheese.
  • ½ cup cream 7% fat

Instructions
 

  • Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the 3 cups rigatoni pasta.
  • Stir the pasta with a wooden spoon to prevent it from sticking together.
  • Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta well and transfer it to a baking dish.
  • Drizzle the ¼ cup olive oil evenly over the pasta. Add the 2 eggs and gently toss until the pasta is fully coated.
  • Add the 1 cup cream cheese and carefully mix until it begins to melt into the warm pasta. Pour in the ½ cup cream and stir gently to combine.
  • Season with pepper amd salt to taste. Add the ½ cup Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese. Then add 1 ½ cups mozzarella and stir until the cheeses are evenly distributed throughout the pasta.
  • Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup mozzarella evenly over the top.
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
  • Serve hot.
Keyword 20 minute pasta, Cheese, cheese pasta, Easy recipe, oven baked pasta

KALI SAS OREXI!! 🙂

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Welcome to a small corner of my Greek Heritage. Growing up in New York from Greek parents, was a challenge of its own...but the traditional food, tastes and aromas that my mother cooked always travelled me back to Greece.My mother is a wonderful cook, our house would always have that smell of home cooked food. I remember very clearly that we were only allowed fast food, once a week, that was a huge day for myself and my brother. Jumping up and down in the back car seat, laughing, just being kids. It is true that we all like to eat different foods, taste, smell, even try food that looks different than our regular meals at home and I think that is so natural.In my teens, I was not really into cooking, I enjoyed my magazines after school, listening to music, and just taking a breather. There were times that I would glance at some of my mom's recipes, more out of curiosity than to actually try to cook them. At that time I did not realise that cooking would become my passion one day. Slowly, I would start to look into my mom's recipes a bit more each day and I started to find it interesting as a hobby. Each month I would go into our neighborhood bookstore and pick up my monthly book, until one day I decided to stroll over into the cooking section. That summer was the first time I actually bought a cooking magazine....and I loved it.Cooking and baking started out as a hobby, but now after many years it is my passion. Exploring the cuisines, the spices, the oils, the scents, the variety of smells and tastes that exist. It was and still is an amazing journey without limits.So, come along with me on this adventure, and I hope you enjoy my recipes.Sophie

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