Baked Stuffed Rigatoni with Four Cheeses and Spinach Alfredo

Baked rigatoni filled with four cheeses and herbs, finished in a creamy spinach Alfredo sauce — a rich and comforting pasta everyone will love.

This one-pan baked rigatoni is creamy, cheesy, and utterly satisfying. The pasta tubes are stuffed with a blend of four cheeses and herbs, then baked in a spinach Alfredo sauce until bubbling and golden. It’s a perfect weeknight comfort meal or a showstopping dish for guests.

I’ve made this recipe many times since it first appeared years ago. Each time it still delights — tender pasta, a silky green-white sauce, and gooey cheesy centers. If you love cheese-forward dishes, this will quickly become a favorite in your rotation.

What you’ll need

• For the spinach Alfredo sauce:
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3 cups baby spinach
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
• For the four-cheese stuffed rigatoni:
  • 1/2 lb rigatoni pasta (wide tubes are easiest to fill)
  • 2 tbsp finely shredded mozzarella
  • 2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan
  • 2 tbsp finely grated Asiago
  • 2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil (or 2 tbsp dried basil)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried parsley

Step-by-step instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

1. Make the spinach Alfredo sauce: In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the baby spinach and sauté 2–3 minutes until wilted. Add the crushed garlic and cook an additional minute.

2. Pour in the milk and stir in the salt, pepper, Parmesan, ricotta, and Asiago. Whisk to combine and let the sauce simmer gently on low for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken and become smooth.

3. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni for about 10 minutes, until just before al dente. The tubes should be cooked enough to fill easily but still hold structure when baked.

4. Prepare the cheese filling: In a bowl, combine the mozzarella, Parmesan, Asiago, ricotta, basil, oregano, and parsley. Mix until evenly blended.

5. Fill the pasta: Spoon the cheese mixture into a pastry bag or a sturdy resealable bag. If using a bag without a piping tip, cut a small corner off and pipe the filling into each rigatoni tube until nearly full.

6. Assemble: Pour half of the spinach Alfredo sauce into the bottom of an oven-safe baking dish. Arrange the filled rigatoni in a circular pattern or in rows, then pour the remaining sauce over the top so the pasta is well coated.

7. Finish and bake: If desired, grate extra Parmesan over the top for additional flavor. Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the top has a light golden color.

8. Serve: Let the dish rest for a few minutes, then serve warm. The pasta should be creamy, with a rich, cheesy center in each tube.

Tips and tricks

• Avoid “stand and fill” bags for piping the filling. The folded bottom prevents making a clean corner cut for piping — use a standard resealable bag or pastry bag.
• Substitutes: If you can’t find rigatoni, ziti is an acceptable alternative though slightly narrower and harder to fill. Manicotti will work as well but will require fewer pieces because they are larger.
• Do not freeze: Because the sauce is milk-based, freezing can cause separation and an undesirable texture after thawing.
• Storage and reheating: Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven for 15–20 minutes, or microwave individual portions for 2–3 minutes.

More pasta recipes to try

If you enjoyed this baked rigatoni, consider these other hearty pasta dishes:

1. Pasta Boscaiola — creamy mushroom and bacon pasta
2. Buffalo chicken baked pasta
3. 20-minute enchilada-style pasta
4. One-pot pasta carbonara
5. Cheesy buffalo chicken penne

Recipe at a glance

Title: Four Cheese Stuffed Baked Rigatoni with Spinach Alfredo Sauce

Servings: 4 people

Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Total time: 1 hour

Author: Whitney Bond

Ingredients (summary)

• Spinach Alfredo: 1/2 cup butter, 3 cups baby spinach, 4 cloves garlic, 2 cups milk, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, 1/2 cup ricotta, 1/4 cup Asiago.
• Stuffed rigatoni: 1/2 lb rigatoni, 2 tbsp shredded mozzarella, 2 tbsp Parmesan, 2 tbsp Asiago, 2 cups ricotta, 1/4 cup fresh basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried parsley.

Nutrition (per serving, approximate)

• Calories: 980 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 56 g
• Protein: 48 g
• Fat: 62 g (Saturated fat: 38 g)
• Sodium: 1815 mg
• Calcium: 1124 mg