Cheese Stuffed-Meatball Rigatoni Bake with Pesto Toasts
This family-friendly meal will have everyone on the table happy. Perfectly seasoned meatballs are stuffed with shredded mozzarella, tossed in our zesty homemade marinara sauce, then sprinkled with buttery panko, parmesan & more mozza, served with savoury pesto toasts.
Nutrition | PER SERVING |
---|---|
Calories | 980 kcal |
Fat | 53.0 g |
Protein | 52.0 g |
Carbohydrate | 96.0 g |
Sodium | 780 mg |
fresh ingredients
IN THE KIT
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12 ozground beef
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8 ozshredded mozzarella cheese
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6 ozrigatoni pasta
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10 ozmarinara sauce
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4 ozparmesan cheese
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6 ozseasoned panko
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1 ozgarlic butter
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1 sliceTuscan bread
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1 ozpesto
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1 ozbasil
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1 pcsegg
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2 ozItalian seasoning
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1 ozchopped garlic
Not Included
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
Kitchen Items Needed
Baking sheet
Large skillet
Small skillet or pot
Large pot
Strainer
Tongs
Large bowl
Small bowl
Oven proof dish
cook along
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep
Adjust racks to middle & top positions & preheat oven to 400º F;
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil;
Remove leaves from stems & roughly chop basil;
Cut bread in half if necessary. Spread with pesto on one side of each toast;
Break egg into small bowl & whisk together until smooth.
Bring water to a boil. Add beef, Italian seasoning, egg, pinch of salt, pepper & mix together. Make 8 little patties. Divide mozzarella between the centers of each pattie. Gently fold meat around cheese, shaping & sealing to create cheese-stuffed meatballs.
Lightly oil a baking sheet. Spread meatballs out across entire sheet. Bake on middle rack until cooked through, 20-22 minutes. (It’s OK if some cheese oozes out!)
Remove sheet from oven. Heat broiler to high.
Once water is boiling, add rigatoni to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain & set aside.
While pasta cooks, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add panko & toast, moving around in pan, until golden.
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in large skillet. Add garlic & cook for 30 seconds. Add marinara sauce & reserved past water, salt & pepper, simmer & cook until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes.
Stir drained rigatoni & meatballs into pan with sauce. Transfer mixture to baking dish. Top pasta with parmesan & parmesan mixture. Broil until panko is golden brown & cheese has melted, 1-2 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Turn oven to bake, add toasts directly on the rack pesto side up. Toast, watching carefully to not burn.
Divide pasta bake & toasts, sprinkle with basil. Enjoy!