Description
This Ground Beef Casserole is a hearty, flavorful dish featuring tender penne pasta baked in a savory marinara-based sauce with ground beef, cheeses, and aromatic herbs. Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner, it combines rich flavors with a cheesy topping baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 32 oz. marinara sauce, high quality
- ½ cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon dried basil
- ¾ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¾ teaspoon mustard powder
Casserole
- 1 lb. ground beef
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup beef broth
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
- ¾ lb. penne pasta
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: Combine the marinara sauce, half and half, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, dried oregano, dried basil, dried parsley, and mustard powder in a bowl and set aside.
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 375°F to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add ¾ tablespoon salt, and cook the penne pasta until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the ground beef mixture: Season ground beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the beef for 3 minutes, crumbling it as it cooks. Add diced onions and minced garlic, stirring occasionally until onions are softened and beef is cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Drain excess grease.
- Add tomato paste and broth: Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes. Pour in beef broth and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a spatula to incorporate browned bits. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until the liquid reduces by half.
- Add the prepared sauce: Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered while preparing the remaining steps.
- Incorporate cheeses: Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and ¼ cup mozzarella cheese into the sauce, stirring continuously until melted and combined.
- Toss pasta with sauce: Add the drained pasta to the sauce, mixing gently to coat all noodles evenly.
- Assemble casserole: Transfer the pasta and sauce mixture into a lightly greased 9×13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1¾ cups mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake and broil: Bake the casserole uncovered for 10 minutes. For a browned top, broil on 450°F for 1–2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- Finish and serve: Remove from oven, garnish with fresh parsley, and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with garlic bread topped with cheese for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use a high-quality marinara like Rao’s for best flavor.
- Low moisture, whole milk mozzarella shredded from a block melts best.
- You can substitute penne with ziti or rigatoni pasta.
- Mix different ground meats such as pork, veal, or sausage if preferred.
- Add diced green bell peppers or sliced mushrooms with onions for extra veggies.
- Drained diced tomatoes or Rotel can be added with sauce for additional flavor.
- Mustard powder and hot sauce add subtle depth; regular yellow mustard can substitute if needed.
- For make-ahead: undercook pasta by 1 minute, assemble, refrigerate up to 2 days, bake covered at 350°F for 15 minutes then uncovered for 10 minutes before serving.
- Store leftovers in airtight containers; refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Don’t overcook pasta to avoid mushy texture after baking or reheating.
