Baked Rigatoni with Fresh Tomato Sauce
Create this Sunday dinner-worthy casserole made of garden-fresh sauce tossed with rigatoni (or penne, gemelli, or fusilli pasta) and draped with luscious melted cheese, all in well under an hour.
Ingredients
- 9 medium (1 kg) roma tomatoes
- ½ small (60 g) small onion, peeled
- 1½ small (125 g) carrots, peeled, halved
- 3 Tablespoons (45 g) tomato paste
- 1 small garlic clove, peeled
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt, optional
- 1 pound (455 g) pasta, rigatoni or ziti, dried
- 2 cups (225 g) Mozzarella cheese, shredded, or provolone
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Grease a 13x9-inch (33x23-cm) baking dish and set aside.
- Place tomatoes, onions, carrots, tomato paste, garlic, oregano, basil, lemon juice, brown sugar, and salt into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid.
- Select Hot Soup program, start the machine and allow the programmed cycle to complete. Or start the machine on its lowest speed, then increase to its highest speed and blend for 5 minutes and 45 seconds.
- While the sauce is blending, cook the rigatoni according to package instructions. Drain.
- Transfer the rigatoni to the prepared baking dish.
- Top with 4 cups (960 ml) warm tomato sauce and 2 cups of shredded cheese.
- Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Ingredients
- 9 medium (1 kg) roma tomatoes
- ½ small (60 g) small onion, peeled
- 1½ small (125 g) carrots, peeled, halved
- 3 Tablespoons (45 g) tomato paste
- 1 small garlic clove, peeled
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt, optional
- 1 pound (455 g) pasta, rigatoni or ziti, dried
- 2 cups (225 g) Mozzarella cheese, shredded, or provolone
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Grease a 13x9-inch (33x23-cm) baking dish and set aside.
- Place tomatoes, onions, carrots, tomato paste, garlic, oregano, basil, lemon juice, brown sugar, and salt into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid.
- Select Hot Soup program, start the machine and allow the programmed cycle to complete. Or start the machine on its lowest speed, then increase to its highest speed and blend for 5 minutes and 45 seconds.
- While the sauce is blending, cook the rigatoni according to package instructions. Drain.
- Transfer the rigatoni to the prepared baking dish.
- Top with 4 cups (960 ml) warm tomato sauce and 2 cups of shredded cheese.
- Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
