4.9 from 48 votes
Venison Casserole
This casserole is roughly in the style of baked ziti, and is loaded with meat, cheese, pasta and tomato sauce. I like to add some leafy greens, too.
Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 675 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Italian , American
Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni, ziti, penne or paccheri pasta
- salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground venison
- 1/2 pound sausage
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup red wine
- A 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 pound chopped leafy greens (spinach, lambsquarters, chard, etc.)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 pound grated Mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated pecorino cheese
Instructions
- Boil the pasta in salty water until it just starts to soften. You want it tougher than you'd want to eat it, but soft enough to bite through. Drain, toss with a little olive oil, and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and get a 9x13 casserole dish ready.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground venison and brown it well, stirring often. Salt it as it cooks. If you are using uncased sausage, add it now and brown that, too. If you are using cased sausage, slice it into disks and wait to cook it for a moment.
- Stir in the chopped onion and cook until it softens, stirring often. Stir in the garlic and cook that for a minute or two, then mix in the tomato paste. Let this cook a few minutes.
- Add the oregano, red pepper flakes and wine and stir well. Everything will thicken as the wine and tomato paste mix. Let this cook for a minute or two, then add the crushed tomatoes. Stir this in with the cooked pasta and the the leafy greens and turn off the heat.
- Put about half of the mixture into the casserole dish. Dot with about half the ricotta, then sprinkle about half the mozzarella and pecorino over it. Add the rest of the meat mixture, then top with the rest of the cheese. Bake at 375°F for 35 minutes.
Cup of Yum
Nutrition Information
Calories
675kcal
(34%)
Carbohydrates
56g
(19%)
Protein
40g
(80%)
Fat
30g
(46%)
Saturated Fat
14g
(70%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
11g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
117mg
(39%)
Sodium
752mg
(31%)
Potassium
876mg
(25%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
8g
(16%)
Vitamin A
916IU
(18%)
Vitamin C
15mg
(17%)
Calcium
411mg
(41%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 675
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 675kcal | 34% |
| Carbohydrates | 56g | 19% |
| Protein | 40g | 80% |
| Fat | 30g | 46% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 117mg | 39% |
| Sodium | 752mg | 31% |
| Potassium | 876mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 916IU | 18% |
| Vitamin C | 15mg | 17% |
| Calcium | 411mg | 41% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.