Cheesy Baked Ground Beef and Tomato Pasta Casserole

Cheesy Baked Ground Beef and Tomato Pasta Casserole

Some dishes have a way of silencing an entire room the moment they hit the table — and this cheesy baked pasta casserole is absolutely one of them. Bubbling with savory ground beef, sweet diced tomatoes, rich marinara sauce, and a gloriously golden, melted cheese topping, this is the kind of comfort food that causes full-grown adults to argue over the last scoop. It is hearty, satisfying, and ridiculously easy to pull together on a weeknight or for a crowd. One pan is never enough, so go ahead and make two from the start.

This casserole brings together everything you love about a classic meat sauce pasta but bakes it all into one irresistible pan. The cheese gets perfectly bubbly and lightly browned on top while the pasta underneath stays tender and coated in that deeply seasoned tomato and beef sauce. Fresh parsley scattered over the top adds a little color and brightness that makes it look as good as it tastes.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (80/20 blend recommended)
• 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cans (15 oz each) diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 jar (24 oz) marinara or tomato pasta sauce
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 pound penne or rigatoni pasta, cooked al dente and drained
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
• Olive oil for cooking

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a large baking pan or a disposable aluminum roasting pan with cooking spray or a drizzle of olive oil.
2. Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat with a little olive oil. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage. Break the meat up as it cooks and brown it thoroughly, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain any excess grease and set the meat aside.
3. In the same pan, sauté the diced onion over medium heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
4. Return the browned meat to the pan. Stir in the drained diced tomatoes, marinara sauce, and tomato sauce. Add the Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together and let the sauce simmer over low heat for 10 minutes to develop the flavors.
5. Add the cooked and drained pasta directly into the meat sauce. Fold everything together gently until the pasta is fully coated.
6. Pour the entire mixture into the prepared baking pan and spread it out evenly.
7. Scatter the diced red bell pepper evenly over the top of the casserole.
8. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses generously and evenly over the entire surface.
9. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted, bubbly, and turning golden brown in spots.
10. Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve hot straight from the pan.

Tips for the Best Results

Cook your pasta just shy of fully done before mixing it into the sauce since it will continue to cook in the oven. This keeps the pasta from getting mushy. Using a combination of mozzarella and cheddar gives you the best of both worlds — stretchy melt from the mozzarella and a sharp, savory punch from the cheddar. If you want even more depth of flavor, let the assembled casserole sit in the refrigerator overnight and bake it fresh the next day. The sauce soaks into the pasta beautifully and the flavors intensify. Leftovers reheat wonderfully and taste just as good the next day, making this one of the most meal-prep friendly dishes you can add to your rotation.

Make It Your Own

This casserole is wonderfully flexible. Swap the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version. Add sliced black olives, mushrooms, or spinach to pack in more vegetables. If your family loves heat, stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes or use hot Italian sausage instead of mild. You can also swap the pasta shape to whatever you have on hand — ziti, rotini, and farfalle all work beautifully in this dish. However you make it, plan to double the recipe. Trust the experience of everyone who has made this before — one pan will never be enough.