Honeycomb Pasta Cake Bake (Printable)
Cheesy baked rigatoni with tomato sauce stands tall and golden, delivering crowd-pleasing flavor in every slice.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 lb rigatoni
→ Cheese Filling
02 - 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
03 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
04 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Sauce
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
11 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
12 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
13 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - ½ teaspoon dried basil
16 - ½ teaspoon sugar
17 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Assembly
18 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, for greasing and brushing
19 - Extra parsley for garnish
20 - Extra Parmesan cheese for garnish
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with olive oil and line base with parchment paper.
02 - Boil rigatoni in a large pot of salted water until very al dente, approximately 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
03 - Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent, around 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Incorporate crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting seasoning to taste.
04 - Combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir until smooth.
05 - Pack rigatoni upright and tightly into the prepared pan. Fill each pasta tube with cheese mixture using a piping bag or spoon.
06 - Pour prepared tomato sauce evenly over pasta, letting it seep between the noodles. Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella.
07 - Cover pan loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
08 - Allow dish to rest 10 minutes before releasing springform ring. Garnish with extra parsley and Parmesan, slice, and serve.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Impressive presentation for special occasions
- Feeds a crowd with ease
02 -
- Add cooked ground beef or Italian sausage to the sauce for a meaty variation
- For a spicy kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce
03 -
- Use a piping bag for easy filling of the rigatoni tubes
- Allow the cake to rest before slicing for cleaner servings