The Perfect Pasta Casserole Recipe Is Here!

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: American cheese

Reduced-fat cheese lowers calories while maintaining flavor.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: string cheese

Part-skim mozzarella reduces fat content.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

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

pasta

🥗Healthier: whole wheat pasta

💰Cheaper: elbow macaroni

Whole wheat pasta adds fiber, while elbow macaroni is usually cheaper.

Boil 4 cups of rigatoni pasta until al dente, then drain and set aside.

Dice the onion by chopping it in half, making horizontal cuts, then vertical cuts, and rotating for smaller pieces.

Chop the tips and white parts off 3 celery stalks, then cut at a slight angle and rotate after each cut.

Cut 3 peeled carrots using the same method as the celery.

Combine diced onion, chopped celery, and carrots in a mixing bowl.

Open 1 can of San Marzano tomatoes, separate the tomatoes from the juice, reserve the juice, and roughly chop the tomatoes.

In a large Dutch oven or pot, brown 1 pound of Metamar's halal ground beef.

Season the beef with 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp paprika, 2 tbsp Italian seasoning, and 4 crushed cloves of garlic.

Add the chopped veggies (except tomatoes) to the beef and mix to coat with seasoning.

Add a little extra olive oil if needed, then cook until the beef is browned and onions are softened.

Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste, the chopped tomatoes, and the reserved tomato juice, then bring to a light simmer.

Let the mixture cook for about 10 minutes until the carrots have softened a little bit.

Add 1/2 cup of freshly shredded parmesan, 1 can of drained canolini beans, and 1/2 cup of plucked parsley, mixing until the cheese is mostly melted.

Toss in the cooked rigatoni and mix everything together until well incorporated.

Spray a large casserole dish with non-stick spray, then pour the pasta mixture into the dish.

Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens