Johnny Marzetti Casserole Midwest (Print Version)

Comforting pasta bake with ground beef, vegetables, savory tomato sauce, and bubbling cheese.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 450 g ground beef

→ Pasta

02 - 340 g elbow macaroni or rotini

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 1 bell pepper, diced (red or green)
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 150 g sliced mushrooms (optional)

→ Sauce

07 - 800 g canned crushed tomatoes
08 - 425 g canned tomato sauce
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1 tsp dried basil
12 - 0.5 tsp salt
13 - 0.5 tsp black pepper

→ Cheese

14 - 200 g shredded cheddar cheese
15 - 100 g shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Pantry

16 - 2 tbsp olive oil

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 175°C. Lightly grease a 23x33 cm baking dish.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart, until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Add diced onion, bell pepper, garlic, and mushrooms (if using) to the skillet. Sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened.
05 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to evenly combine with the sauce.
07 - Spread half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the cheddar and mozzarella cheeses.
08 - Top with the remaining pasta mixture and finish with the remaining cheeses.
09 - Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
10 - Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before portioning and serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Dresses up simple pantry ingredients into something special
  • Crowd pleasing melty cheesy top layer that everyone reaches for
  • Perfect make-ahead dish for parties or weeknights
  • Ready in about an hour
  • Reminds me of potlucks at my grandma’s church basement in Ohio smiles and second helpings all around the table the leftovers are fought over in my house
02 -
  • High in protein and calcium
  • Easy to double for a crowd
  • A wonderful freezer meal
03 -
  • Shred your own cheese for top notch melting and real flavor
  • Undercook the pasta slightly it keeps a perfect bite in the oven
  • Letting the casserole rest before serving makes for cleaner slices and less mess

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