Honeycomb Pasta Cake Bake (Printable View)

Baked rigatoni filled with ricotta and topped with tomato sauce and cheese, ideal for sharing.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 pound rigatoni noodles

→ 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 ounces 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

→ To Assemble

18 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, for greasing and brushing
19 - Extra chopped parsley, for garnish
20 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan with olive oil and line the base with parchment paper.
02 - Boil rigatoni in a large pot of salted water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
03 - In a saucepan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sauté the chopped onion until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning if needed.
04 - In a mixing bowl, blend ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, egg, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
05 - Pack rigatoni noodles upright and snugly in the prepared springform pan. Using a piping bag or small spoon, fill each pasta tube with cheese mixture.
06 - Pour tomato sauce evenly over the filled pasta, allowing it to seep between the noodles. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
07 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for another 15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
08 - Rest for 10 minutes before releasing the springform pan. Garnish with additional parsley and Parmesan. Slice and serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Eye-catching presentation that will wow dinner guests
  • Satisfying vegetarian main dish that feeds a crowd
02 -
  • This dish contains wheat (gluten), milk, and egg
  • For best results, use whole-milk ricotta and good quality mozzarella
03 -
  • Pack the rigatoni tightly so the cake holds its shape when sliced
  • Let the cake rest before slicing for clean portions and gooey cheese
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