Johnny Marzetti Casserole
This recipe creates a classic, hearty Johnny Marzetti casserole. It combines rotini pasta with a rich ground beef and Italian sausage sauce, seasoned vegetables, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes, all layered and baked with a generous blend of Italian and Cheddar cheeses until bubbly.
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot For cooking pasta and potentially the sauce
- 1 Large Skillet For browning meat and vegetables
- 1 9x13 inch Baking Dish For assembling and baking the casserole
- 1 Colander For draining pasta
- 1 Wooden Spoon or Spatula For cooking and mixing
Ingredients
Main
- cooking spray
- 8 ounces rotini pasta
- 1 pound ground beef
- 0.5 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
- 0.75 cup chopped onion
- 0.25 cup chopped celery
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon minced green bell pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 14.4 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
- 1.5 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain using a colander.
- While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and Italian sausage and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Add chopped onion, celery, garlic, and minced green bell pepper to the skillet with the meat. Cook until vegetables are softened.
- Season the meat and vegetable mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let cook for a few minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- In a large bowl, combine the drained pasta with the meat sauce, ensuring the pasta is evenly coated.
- Spread half of the pasta and sauce mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Layer half of the shredded Italian cheese blend over the pasta, then add the remaining pasta and sauce mixture. Top with the remaining Italian cheese blend and the shredded sharp Cheddar cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly, potentially covering initially and uncovering to brown the cheese.
Notes
Ensure ground meat and sausage are well browned before adding vegetables; this builds essential flavor. Cook the pasta al dente, as it will continue cooking in the oven. Don't over-sauce the pasta before baking to prevent it from becoming mushy. Covering the casserole loosely with foil for the first part of baking helps ensure it heats through evenly before uncovering to brown the cheese. For added depth, a pinch of dried oregano or a bay leaf can be simmered with the sauce.