READY IN ABOUT 1½ hrs

Baked Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and Fennel

Read Reviews (49)

"This is a deliciously sweet and spicy baked rigatoni recipe that I whipped up, and thought I'd share." — Boog

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until almost tender, about 10 minutes.
Fry the sausages in a large skillet over medium heat, turning frequently until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove from the skillet, cool slightly and slice into rounds. Add the garlic, fennel and onion to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, then add the roasted red peppers, basil, sliced sausage and pasta sauce. Heat through over low heat until warmed.
Combine the pasta with the sauce and vegetables in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread the mozzarella, Parmesan and Asiago cheeses over the top. Garnish with a few fennel leaves left from the bulb. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, then remove the aluminum foil. Set the oven to broil, and cook for another 5 minutes or until cheese is browned.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 25 mins
COOK 1 hr
READY IN 1 hr 25 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Jan 13, 2009

Make sure that you THINLY slice that fennel. The flavors in this dish were great but my fennel was a little too crunchy!

—Steve

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Apr 28, 2011

Dish was okay, but DON'T waste your fennel on this recipe. It didn't add much to it. Sauce covered up any flavor.

—Hillery

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62 Ratings

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Jul 24, 2008

I made this last night for a few friends, and it received universally rave reviews. When I make it again, I might do half sweet sausage and half spicy. Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing. Thanks for an excellent recipe!

—Chef Buckeye

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Jul 05, 2008

We got a bulb of fennel from our CSA, and I didn't know what to do with it. I'm glad I found this recipe. I'm not a huge fan of sausage, but even I thought this was really good. My husband kept going back again and again for 'just one more bite'.

—BEDTIMEBEAR

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Mar 19, 2008

I loved this dish and so did everybody else in the house. I did add a little bit of riccota cheese before topping with the mozzerella. I will def make again.

—Valeria

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Nov 02, 2007

Fantastic flavor. I used Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage to keep it healthy. Love the contrast of spicy sausage against the sweet fennel. The fresh fennel frawns sprinkled on top are a great touch for presentation and extra flavor.

—Gretchen

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May 06, 2010

Followed the recipe exactly, except I used sweet Italian sausage instead of hot. Came out AWESOME!! I would suggest, however, that you saute the fennel for about 10-12 minutes instead of only five. Just keep checking it until it softens up enough. Really, the only way you'll get it right is to check it (pick up a piece and eat it!) until it's cooked to a level of tenderness that you like. Also, I took the foil cover off and just continued to bake it for another 5-10 minutes, instead of turning the broiler on (my baking dish can't be used under a broiler). Great flavor, tastes even better the next day, and freezes really well. A winner!!

—jamitt

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Jul 22, 2008

I used ground sausage instead. Loved the flavor of this dish! It's super easy to make, too.

—V4Vanessa

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Nutrition

Calories
499 kcal
25%

Carbohydrates
57.3 g
18%

Cholesterol
52 mg
17%

Fat
19.4 g
30%

Fiber
5.2 g
21%

Protein
24.5 g
49%

Sodium
1069 mg
43%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Baked Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and Fennel

Serving Size: 1/8 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 499
Calories from Fat: 174

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 19.4g 30 %
** Saturated Fat 7.9g 40 %
Cholesterol 52mg 17 %
Sodium 1069mg 43 %
** Potassium 645mg 18 %
Total Carbohydrates 57.3g 18 %
Dietary Fiber 5.2g 21 %
Protein 24.5g 49 %
** Sugars 10.2g
Vitamin A 25 %
Vitamin C 25 %
Calcium 34 %
Iron 32 %
** Thiamin 30 %
** Niacin 74 %
** Vitamin B6 25 %
** Magnesium 22 %
** Folate 76 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.