Pasta casserole recipe | Veg Pasta Recipe | How to cook pasta | Veggie Garden pasta casserole

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: provolone cheese

Part-skim mozzarella reduces fat while maintaining meltiness.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, and ground pork is often less expensive.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grana padano

Nutritional yeast is a dairy-free option, while grana padano is a less expensive cheese.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Avocado oil is healthier, while vegetable oil is often cheaper.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, about 8-10 minutes.

Drain the pasta and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add chopped onion and garlic, sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes.

Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart, about 5-7 minutes.

Stir in canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes to meld the flavors.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta with the meat sauce and diced bell pepper and zucchini.

Transfer half of the pasta mixture to a baking dish, then sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese on top.

Layer the remaining pasta mixture and top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden.

Let the pasta bake cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Spice Level:

Allergens