When it comes to pasta, do you prefer meaty dishes or cheesy dishes? It’s such a hard decision, isn’t it? Well, now, you don’t have to decide between the two! I’ve come up with a hearty and delicious recipe that has both. This Meat & Cheese Lovers Rigatoni Bake is packed with pepperoni, sweet Italian sausage and ham to please meat lovers, and loaded with mozzarella, Parmesan and ricotta to please cheese lovers.

Now, this dish is pretty much perfection with the wonderful combination of meats and cheeses, but the thing that makes it super special is the sauce. Ragu’s Homestyle pasta sauce is thick and hearty, and so flavorful! It hugs every noodle and packs a punch of flavor in every bite. There are several different varieties available, too, so you are sure to find just the right one to compliment your own pasta recipe. I chose to use the roasted garlic flavor for this recipe. It gives it such a great garlic kick, which I absolutely love. One more thing I love about this pasta sauce, is that it doesn’t have any artificial flavors, artificial colors or high fructose corn syrup! What more could you ask for?

You could really use any variety of short pasta for this dish, but I decided to use Rigatoni because my Gram always made a Rigatoni bake when I was a kid, and it was so delicious. Gosh, I miss her and her cooking so much. This dish really reminded me of her a lot, and brings back lots of great memories. She loved to cook and bake from scratch, but she often used Ragu sauces in her pasta dishes to save time. She knew good flavor when she tasted it!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 jar Ragu Thick & Hearty Roasted Garlic Homestyle Sauce
• 8 oz. dry rigatoni
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ pound ground Sweet Italian Sausage
• ½ cup chopped pepperoni
• ¾ cup chopped ham
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
• ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 egg

DIRECTIONS:

Cook Rigatoni to al dente, according to instructions on box.

Meanwhile, brown Italian sausage in a skillet with extra virgin olive oil.

Add cooked pasta, pepperoni, ham, and all but 1 cup of sauce to skillet and stir to combine.

Transfer pasta mixture to a casserole dish.

In a separate bowl, combine egg, 1 cup mozzarella, parmesan and ricotta cheeses. Spread cheese mixture over pasta.

Pour remaining 1 cup sauce on top of cheese mixture.

Top with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.

Cover loosely with foil and bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and cook for 15 minutes longer, until cheese is melted and brown around the edges.

If you’re looking for more great recipe ideas using Ragu’s Homestyle pasta sauces, visit Ragu’s website. They have TONS of great ideas for you to choose from, like Quick Summer Gazpacho, Tuscan Style Sausage Sandwiches, Spaghetti Puttanesca and more!

 GIVEAWAY

Want to try Ragu’s Homestyle pasta sauce? One lucky reader will win a $25 Target gift card to purchase a jar of sauce, their favorite pasta and fixins!

This giveaway is open to US residents 18+ and ends at 11:59pm EST on September 29, 2016. Good luck!

To enter to win, simply visit Ragu’s website, then leave a comment below telling me which of their delicious recipes you would love to try!