Description
This Ground Beef Casserole is a hearty, comforting dish featuring tender penne pasta baked in a rich marinara and beef sauce, topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Perfect for family dinners, it combines savory ground beef, aromatic herbs, and creamy cheeses for a flavorful, satisfying meal.
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 (low moisture, whole milk, shredded)
- ¾ lb penne pasta
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: Combine the marinara sauce, half and half, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, dried oregano, basil, parsley, and mustard powder in a bowl and set aside.
- Preheat oven and boil pasta water: Preheat your oven to 375° F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta, adding ¾ tablespoon salt once boiling.
- Cook ground beef mixture: Season ground beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef and cook, crumbling for about 3 minutes. Add diced onions and minced garlic; cook and stir until onions soften and beef is fully cooked, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess grease thoroughly.
- Add tomato paste and broth: Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in beef broth and scrape the bottom and sides of the skillet with a silicone spatula to incorporate the browned bits. Allow mixture to bubble gently and reduce the liquid by half, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Combine sauce and simmer: Add the prepared sauce mixture to the skillet, bringing it to a gentle boil before reducing to a simmer. Let it simmer uncovered while boiling pasta to al dente to ensure flavors meld.
- Incorporate cheeses: Stir Parmesan cheese and ¼ cup of mozzarella into the sauce continuously until melted and combined.
- Cook pasta and combine: Drain the cooked pasta and add it directly to the sauce. Toss thoroughly to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce.
- Assemble casserole: Transfer the pasta and sauce mixture to a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1¾ cups mozzarella evenly over the top.
- Bake and broil: Bake uncovered at 375° F for 10 minutes. For a browner, bubbly top, broil at 450° F for 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- Garnish and serve: Remove casserole from the oven, garnish with fresh parsley, and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy with garlic bread with cheese for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use a high-quality marinara sauce such as Rao’s for best flavor.
- Low moisture, whole milk mozzarella shredded from a block melts best and tastes superior; Dragone or Galbani brands recommended.
- Alternative pasta shapes like ziti or rigatoni work well in this recipe.
- You can substitute or combine ground pork, veal, sausage, or beef according to preference.
- Optional additions include diced green bell pepper, sliced mushrooms (add with onions), or drained diced tomatoes/Rotel (add with sauce) for extra flavor and texture.
- Mustard powder and hot sauce are subtle flavor enhancers; regular yellow mustard can substitute mustard powder if needed. Frank’s Hot Sauce is suggested for heat.
- To make ahead, undercook pasta by 1 minute less than al dente, assemble, cool, and refrigerate covered for up to 2 days. Bake covered at 350° F for 15 minutes, then uncovered for 10 minutes before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Do not overcook pasta to maintain texture on reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
