Description
A hearty and comforting pasta bake featuring tubed pasta with a rich, flavorful meat sauce layered with creamy ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses, baked to bubbly perfection and garnished with fresh parsley.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Cheese Mixture
- 1 lb. pasta (ziti, penne, or rigatoni)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 egg, whisked
- 2 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, separated
Meat Sauce
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 (24 oz.) jars marinara sauce (recommended Rao's or homemade)
Garnish
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the pasta casserole.
- Mix Cheese Filling: In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, whisked egg, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Set this mixture aside.
- Cook Pasta: Boil water and cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than al dente. This will allow the pasta to finish cooking in the oven. Once done, drain and set aside.
- Prepare Meat Sauce: In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef along with the diced onions until browned. Drain excess grease. Add minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Cook for 1 minute to release flavors.
- Add Sauce: Stir in the marinara sauce to the meat mixture, combine well, and heat through. Remove from heat.
- Assemble Casserole: Combine the drained pasta with about ¾ of the meat sauce and transfer to a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Dollop the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the pasta, then spread the remaining meat sauce on top.
- Bake Covered: Cover the dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Add Cheese and Finish Baking: Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot, optionally with garlic bread with cheese.
Notes
- Use plenty of sauce as the pasta absorbs a surprising amount during baking; reduce if you prefer less saucy pasta.
- Choose tubed pasta types like ziti, penne, or rigatoni, preferably rigati with ridges for better sauce adherence.
- Ground meat options can vary: beef, pork, veal, sausage, or a combination for richer flavor.
- Using fresh mozzarella and Parmesan from a block and shredding them yourself yields better creaminess and taste.
- Make-ahead tip: Assemble casserole after cooking meat and pasta, then refrigerate covered for up to 2 days. Add 10 extra minutes to covered bake time.
- Freezing option: Freeze assembled casserole, thaw in fridge 24 hours before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
