Beef and Noodle Casserole - Italian Pasta Bake - Recipe

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.

Brown 1.5 pounds of ground beef in a seasoned cast iron skillet.

Drain the ground beef and return it to the skillet.

Add 1 tablespoon of granulated garlic, 1.5 tablespoons of minced onion, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon of oregano to the beef and mix well.

Add a small can of mushrooms with the juice to the mixture and stir.

Add 24 ounces of tomato sauce and 24 ounces of water to the skillet.

Add 8 ounces of elbow macaroni to the skillet and mix.

Let the mixture warm up for about 20 minutes, allowing the macaroni to absorb the liquid.

After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.

Top the mixture with 1.5 cups of mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F until the cheese is melted and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Garnish with parsley before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens