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0 from 12 votes

Italian Ground Beef Casserole

A classic Italian casserole that's loaded with hearty ground beef, pasta, and cheese!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 628 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian , American

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces (about 1 ½ - 1 ¾ cups) uncooked penne pasta (or other short pasta shape, such as mini penne, elbows, bowties, or fusilli)
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 cup diced onion (about 1 small onion)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
  • 12 ounces marinara sauce (about half of a 24-ounce jar, about 1 ⅓ cups)
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, not drained
  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ¾ cup shredded Italian 5-cheese blend
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter
  • ⅓ cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • Optional garnish: chopped fresh herbs such as parsley or basil

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish; set aside. In a large pot of well-salted water, cook the pasta according to the package directions for 1 minute less than al dente. Drain.
  2. While the pasta cooks, brown the ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic; cook for 1 more minute. Drain off the excess fat. Stir in the marinara, diced tomatoes with their juices, Italian seasoning, and sugar.
  3. Add the cooked, drained pasta to the beef mixture. Taste and season with kosher salt and ground black pepper. If you'd like the mixture "saucier," stir in some (or all) of the remaining marinara sauce that's left in the jar. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
  4. Microwave the butter in a medium microwaveable bowl on high until melted, about 25 seconds. Stir in the panko and Parmesan until fully coated; sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
  5. Bake, uncovered, for about 25 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the inside of the casserole is heated through.

Notes

  • You'll need at least 12 ounces (or half of a 24-ounce jar) of marinara sauce. That said, if you'd like to your casserole "saucier," feel free to use the entire jar!
  • Just about any short pasta shape will work, such as penne, mini penne, ziti, fusilli, bowties (farfalle), or elbows.
  • If using regular diced tomatoes rather than the diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, I recommend seasoning the sauce with additional Italian seasoning, garlic powder, or herbs.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1/4 of the casserole Calories 628kcal (31%) Carbohydrates 60g (20%) Protein 37g (74%) Fat 26g (40%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 10g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 101mg (34%) Sodium 881mg (37%) Potassium 1011mg (29%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 9g (18%) Vitamin A 731IU (15%) Vitamin C 19mg (21%) Calcium 266mg (27%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 628

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/4 of the casserole
Calories 628kcal 31%
Carbohydrates 60g 20%
Protein 37g 74%
Fat 26g 40%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 10g 50%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 101mg 34%
Sodium 881mg 37%
Potassium 1011mg 22%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 9g 18%
Vitamin A 731IU 15%
Vitamin C 19mg 21%
Calcium 266mg 27%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.