Preheat the oven to 400F/205C. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain the cooked pasta, place it into a large mixing bowl and keep the pasta warm.

If using my Homemade Bolognese Sauce recipe, prepare it first before making the pasta since it simmers for a couple hours. It can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat before using in this recipe, if needed.

Prepare the Quick Bolognese sauce. Preheat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, add the ground beef or sausage and break the meat up using a spatula into small pieces. Season the meat with salt and ground black pepper and brown for 7 to 9 minutes, until the meat is cooked thoroughly. Add the canned marinara sauce into the pan and bring it up to simmer; simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the 2 tablespoons fresh basil and 2 tablespoons fresh parsley once the sauce is cooked.

Pour the prepared meat sauce over the cooked pasta and add 1 ¾ cup mozzarella cheese, 1 ½ cups parmesan cheese and the ricotta cheese. Using a large spoon or spatula, mix all the ingredients together until well combined.

Transfer the pasta into a large casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden on top. If desired, turn on the broiler for a couple minutes to get the cheese extra caramelized.

Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle more fresh herbs over the top. Allow the pasta to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before enjoying; it will be extremely hot straight out of the oven! Sprinkle more fresh herbs onto each serving, too.