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Easy Cavatini with Ragu Pasta Sauce

This easy Cavatini recipe is a family favorite. It’s chock full of pasta, sauce, meat and veggies for a hearty, comforting meal.

easy cavatini

I love old recipes. My favorites are the ones passed down in our families, but I have to admit that I’m also a hoarder of old church cookbooks. This particular recipe comes from one of my mother-in-law’s cookbooks. It’s a couple of decades old, but I’ve found that Ragu sauce was popular then, too!

cookbook

As you can see in the picture above, it’s well-worn and well-loved. The cookbook is about 25 years old, and I know this particular recipe is one of my in-laws’ absolute favorites. The best part is that even the original recipe calls for Ragu sauce, so Ragu is definitely a tradition for my husband’s family.

And tradition is important to the Ragu brand. It started with Assunta Cantisano, a woman of proud Italian heritage who began cooking and selling the sauce right out of her kitchen. Don’t  you just love that? We love how affordable Ragu sauces are (with no artificial flavors or high fructose corn syrup, by the way).

My personal favorite is the Ragu Chunky Tomato, Garlic & Onion. Their meat flavored sauce comes in a close second, though!

Cavatini 3

Ready to get cooking? Here’s the recipe!

easy cavatini

Easy Cavatini

Donella Crigger
This easy cavatini is a wonderful weeknight meal when you want to get food in front of your family fast. And what's more comforting than a big plate of pasta?
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients
  

  • 4 c. shell pasta cooked
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 green pepper diced
  • 1.5 lbs. ground beef
  • 1 7 oz. package pepperoni slices
  • 1 14.5 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
  • 1 pkg. shredded Mozzarella
  • 1 pkg. shredded Italian cheese blend
  • 32 oz. Ragu sauce of your choice

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions.
  • Meanwhile, brown the ground beef along with onions, green peppers and mushrooms.
  • Drain pasta and ground beef mixture. Add to a large mixing bowl.
  • Add 1/2 of the cheeses plus 32 oz. (4 cups) Ragu sauce. Mix well.
  • Pour into a 13x9 baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese.
  • Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 20 minutes or until cheeses are melted.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Easy Cavatini with Ragu sauce makes a wonderful dish for a potluck or a family dinner. There’s plenty to go around, and it’s one of those dishes where the leftovers taste even better!

What’s your favorite pasta dish… the one that reminds you of home or church potlucks or other favorite memories? Our Simple Goulash Recipe and Homemade Hamburger Helper are a couple more of our favorites.

cavatini 4

 

 

Author

  • I'm Donella, the voice, heart, and wit (sometimes) behind this blog. I homeschool my pre-teen son by day and moonlight as a blogger and freelance writer. I'm a Diet Pepsi aficionado with a bookshelf that's always overflowing. My two dogs—a German Shepherd and a Beagle—are my fluffy shadows. I love planning in my bullet journal almost as much as I love hoarding notebooks and pens. I may be an introvert who missed her calling as a desert hermit, but that just gives me more time to write, right?

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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)
Recipe Rating




48 Pasta Bake Recipes | BEST Baked Pasta Dishes

Wednesday 24th of August 2016

[…] Easy Cavatini with Ragu Pasta Sauce from Gluesticks & […]

Wendi

Friday 9th of October 2015

This looks absolutely delish. Thought o would visit and check out your links. ;) thanks for the recipe!