Description
Creamy Velveeta Rigatoni with Italian Beef Marinara is the ultimate comfort pasta bake—perfectly cooked rigatoni tossed in a velvety cheese sauce, layered with Italian-seasoned ground beef and a rich tomato marinara. It’s baked until bubbling and golden, delivering a hearty, cheesy dinner the whole family will love.
Ingredients
1 pound rigatoni pasta
1 pound ground beef (80/20)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a deep skillet, brown the ground beef with the diced onion over medium heat for 7–8 minutes.
3. Add minced garlic and Italian seasoning to the skillet. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Simmer the marinara for 10–15 minutes.
5. Lower the heat and stir in cubed Velveeta. Stir until completely melted and creamy.
6. In a mixing bowl, toss the cooked rigatoni with the cheesy beef marinara until fully coated.
7. Pour into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with shredded mozzarella.
8. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes.
9. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until bubbly and golden.
10. Let rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Always cook your pasta just until al dente to prevent it from becoming too soft after baking.
If substituting Velveeta, use cream cheese or a cheddar-based cheese sauce for similar creaminess.
Want to make it ahead? Assemble the dish and refrigerate, then bake within 24 hours.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Pasta Casserole
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American-Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous portion
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 31g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: creamy rigatoni bake, velveeta pasta, beef marinara