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Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Bake

A thick, square slice of Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Bake Comfort Food with a browned, bubbly cheese topping.
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Make this hearty, cheesy ground beef pasta bake for a satisfying comfort food dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 12 ounces pasta (like ziti or penne)
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until browned. Drain off any excess fat.
  3. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
  4. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
  5. While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta well.
  6. In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, egg, and chopped parsley.
  7. In the large skillet with the meat sauce, stir in the cooked pasta and the beef broth until combined.
  8. Spread half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Dollop the ricotta mixture evenly over the pasta layer. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
  9. Top with the remaining pasta mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and all of the Parmesan cheese over the top.
  10. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges are lightly browned.
  11. Let the bake rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • You can substitute ground turkey or ground Italian sausage for the ground beef.
  • For extra flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sauce mixture.
  • Use any short pasta shape you prefer for this bake.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://magazinemeal.com/cheesy-ground-beef-pasta-bake-comfort-food/