Ground beef pasta is a favorite family meal and is easy to make in just a few steps. You can’t go wrong with meat, sauce, pasta, and cheese!
This Ground Beef Casserole has everything you want in a baked pasta dish – savory browned beef, pasta, marinara sauce, and a cheesy layer of mozzarella for an easy weeknight dinner. Toss everything together and bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly, or freeze for a quick meal that’s ready to heat up on busy nights.
Casseroles are a lifesaver, especially for busy families, and with this hamburger casserole, you can bring it all together quickly and let it finish in the oven. Trying to get dinner to the table even quicker? Skip the oven and serve this ground beef pasta recipe straight from the stovetop by adding the cooked pasta to the sauce, sprinkling with mozzarella, and then adding a lid to allow the heat to melt the cheese.
Casseroles are a lifesaver, especially for busy families, and with this hamburger casserole, you can bring it all together quickly and let it finish in the oven. Trying to get dinner to the table even quicker? Skip the oven and serve this ground beef pasta recipe straight from the stovetop by adding the cooked pasta to the sauce, sprinkling with mozzarella, and then adding a lid to allow the heat to melt the cheese.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS GROUND BEEF CASSEROLE WITH PASTA
Perfect comfort food. This pasta bake hits the spot for a comforting dish with layers of tomato sauce, penne pasta, ground beef, and melty cheese in every bite. Warm up those cold nights with a home-cooked meal that warms your soul – you can’t go wrong with beef casseroles!
Very kid-friendly. Give the kids what they want, and you’re sure they’ll eat! It’s like spaghetti but with different pasta and everything tossed together into an oven-baked casserole.
Freezer-friendly. I love family-sized freezer-friendly dinners! You can freeze the sauce to add to freshly cooked pasta before baking or assemble the ground beef casserole with noodles in a baking pan, cover it with foil, and freeze it as a whole meal ready to bake.
Well-balanced meal. A complete meal to fill you up and keep you full of good carbs, protein, and veggies. Swap out the pasta for whole wheat or gluten-free pasta for a healthier alternative. Toss in some diced eggplant, zucchini, or spinach to add another layer of veggies with the tomatoes and onions.
POPULAR SUBSTITUTIONS & ADDITIONS
Add vegetables. You can easily up the nutritional value of ground beef pasta casserole by adding chopped vegetables when cooking the onions and beef mixture: Sauté zucchini, eggplant, spinach, kale, or even diced carrots to the sauce base. The smaller the dice, the less likely picky eaters will notice the addition.
Use ground turkey. If you’re looking for a lighter pasta casserole, then ground turkey makes an excellent substitution for ground beef. Check out my ground turkey casserole for the full recipe!
Make it Vegetarian! Want to enjoy a hearty casserole but avoid meat? It’s super easy to do by swapping out the ground beef for either lentils or chickpeas. With either of these options, you still get a full meal with all the benefits of meat, like protein. You could also load the sauce with vegetables instead of beef for a wholesome meal.
Add some heat. Want to kick your pasta sauce up a notch with some fiery spices? Add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the sauce when adding the seasonings.
HOW TO STORE & REHEAT GROUND BEEF CASSEROLE
Store leftover beef casserole with pasta in an airtight container in the fridge.
Reheat in the microwave or preheated oven until heated through.
HOW LONG WILL BEEF PASTA CASSEROLE LAST IN THE FRIDGE?
When stored properly, leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
CAN I FREEZE BEEF CASSEROLES?
Yes! To freeze, prepare the casserole in a baking dish and cover with a layer of foil followed by plastic wrap to securely cover the dish. You can freeze ground beef casserole with pasta up to 3 months and bake straight from frozen by simply adding an additional 20 minutes or so to the cook time.
Ground beef pasta is a favorite family meal and is easy to make in just a few steps. You can’t go wrong with meat, sauce, pasta, and cheese!
Prep Time: 15mins
Cook Time: 25mins
Total Time: 40mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 411kcal
Ingredients:
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16 ounces penne pasta
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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1 pound lean ground beef
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1 large onion diced
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2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
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½ teaspoon salt
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½ teaspoon pepper
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2 garlic cloves minced
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1 25-ounce jar marinara sauce store-bought or homemade
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¼ cup Fresh basil torn, plus more for garnishing
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1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions:
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Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook al dente according to package instructions.
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Drain, reserve ½ cup pasta water, and transfer the pasta to a 9×13 baking dish.
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In a large deep skillet over medium-high, heat the olive oil. Add the ground beef and onions and season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
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Cook the ground beef and onions, breaking up the beef into smaller pieces with the back of a wooden spoon until browned, about 10 minutes.
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Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 more minute.
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Stir in the marinara and basil, then transfer the sauce on top of the pasta in the baking dish and toss gently to combine.
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Add as much of the reserved pasta water as desired until the sauce looks glossy.
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Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top and bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is lightly golden, about 15 minutes.
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Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.
Notes:
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, and you can reheat it in the oven or microwave. Freeze up to 3 months and bake from frozen by adding an additional 20 minutes to the cook time.
Nutritional Info:
Calories: 411kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 738mg | Potassium: 630mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 535IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 212mg | Iron: 3mg