Easy Baked Pasta Casserole
When I feel like we need a little more variety, or a craving for lasagna strikes, I’ll make this easy cheesy pasta casserole, which is a family pleasing beefy comfort food meal!
Serving Size 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef browned and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste
- 12 ounce box penne pasta or rigatoni, fusilli, rotini or cavatappi cooked and drained
- 32 ounces or 3 1/2 cups of your favorite chunky style pasta sauce
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
- Pasta and pasta sauce come in different sizes, so make sure you check the ounces on the packaging.
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef till done and no pink remains, and toward the end of cooking, stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning, and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Then add the pasta sauce to the meat mixture and stir together.
- Cook your favorite pasta according to its directions, and rinse and drain. Don’t overcook! You don’t want soggy pasta.
- Mix together the Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses in a separate bowl.
- Then toss the beef and sauce mixture with the drained pasta and half of the cheese mixture.
- Pour into a greased 9 x 13 casserole dish, and sprinkle over the top the remaining cheeses.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for around 20 minutes, or till heated thoroughly all the way through, and the cheese on top is all wonderfully melted (You can cook covered with foil or not, but I usually don’t)