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Ground Beef Casserole in a baking dish with a wooden spoon scooping it up.
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Ground Beef Casserole

This Ground Beef Casserole has penne pasta in a delicious meat sauce with parmesan and mozzarella cheese! This recipe is so easy and is make-ahead friendly!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 518kcal
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 32 oz. marinara sauce high quality. See notes.
  • ½ cup half and half can sub heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • ¾ teaspoon EACH: Dried oregano, basil, parsley, mustard powder

Casserole

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • Salt/pepper
  • 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 divided. See notes.
  • ¾ lb. penne
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.
  • Preheat oven to 375° F.
  • Begin boiling a pot of water for the pasta. Once a boil is reached, add ¾ tbsp. salt.
  • Season the ground beef with salt/pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef. Cook and crumble for 3 minutes, then add the onions and garlic. Stir occasionally until the onions are softened and the beef is cooked through, 5-6 minutes. Drain grease well.
  • Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the beef broth and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the skillet, (working the brown “fond” into the sauce adds more flavor). Bubble gently and reduce the liquid by half, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the sauce mixture from step 1. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, while you boil the pasta to no more than al dente. Set a timer to ensure you don’t overcook it.
  • Sprinkle the Parmesan and ¼ cup of the mozzarella into the sauce, stirring continuously.
  • Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Toss to combine. Transfer to a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Top with remaining mozzarella.
  • Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Broil at 450 for an additional 1-2 minutes if a browner top is preferred. Watch it carefully during this time.
  • Remove and garnish with parsley. Let stand for 5 minutes prior to serving. Serve with Garlic Bread with Cheese!

Notes

Pro Tips:
  • Marinara: I recommend using a high-quality marinara sauce in this recipe as it plays a big role in the overall flavor. I use Rao’s marinara sauce and highly recommend it!
    • This recipe uses a lot of sauce, but the pasta continues to absorb it while it bakes and even more as it sits/during storage.
  • Mozzarella: Use low moisture, whole milk mozzarella. Shred it from a block to ensure it melts and tastes the best. I use Dragone or Galbani mozzarella.
  • Pasta: A variety of pastas will work well with this recipe, Ziti or Rigatoni are great alternatives to Penne.
  • Feel free to use any combination of ground meat including ground pork, veal, sausage, and/or beef.
  • Additions: Diced green bell pepper and/or sliced mushrooms can be added when the onions are added. Drained diced tomatoes are another great addition and can be added when the sauce is added. Rotel can be used if you like a little kick.
  • Mustard powder and hot sauce are subtle flavor enhancers in this recipe that you can't taste outright. Regular yellow mustard may also be used if needed. I use Frank's Hot Sauce.
Make Ahead Method:
  • Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than al dente to ensure the pasta isn't overcooked when reheated.
  • Assemble the casserole as outlined and place it in a casserole dish. Let it cool first, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
  • Cover and bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 10 more minutes.
Storage:
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers freeze well. (Be sure not to overcook the pasta.)
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 1486mg | Potassium: 952mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1017IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 296mg | Iron: 4mg