Macaroni Pasta Bake

This Macaroni Pasta Bake is easy to brand with ground beef, marinara sauce, pasta and cheese. Use elbow macaroni or whatsoever short pasta shape in this comforting broiled pasta casserole.

Close up of cheesy pasta bake on a wooden spoon.

Growing up, this macaroni pasta bake was one of my favorite dinners that my mom made for us. She called it Macaroni Meat Casserole, and as soon every bit I was old enough, she taught me how to make the recipe.

I've been making this macaroni casserole ever since. Cheesy, saucy pasta baked together with ground beef is a oversupply-pleasing, no fuss dinner. Get more dinner ideas.

When life is feeling a bit overwhelming, cheesy baked pasta can be a perfect way to nourish both your body and soul. This macaroni pasta casserole is easy to make using just a few ingredients. The steps to prepare it are elementary, and y'all won't need to spend all day in the kitchen. This recipe is a not bad 1 to prepare early in the day then broil in the evening right earlier dinner time.

One thing that I love about this recipe is that it makes enough to feed a crowd. Which ways that my family can get a few meals out of this pasta bake. The best part? This broiled pasta tastes even better on the second and third day later the flavors have had hereafter together. Delicious leftovers are the best because it means yous become a night off from cooking. 😉

When we're peckish some cheesy pasta comfort nutrient, this piece of cake pasta bake is one of our favorites.

More Easy Pasta Recipes:

  • Stuffed Shells
  • Macaroni and Cheese
  • Baked Broccoli Mac and Cheese
  • One Pot Broiled Ziti
  • Craven Florentine
  • Even more than Pasta Recipes

The finished dish in a white baking dish.

How to make this Pasta Bake

I ordinarily brand this recipe with lean ground beef, but ground turkey or sausage would likewise work well. You can heave the nutrition of this pasta dinner by using whole wheat pasta and adding extra vegetables to the sauce.

The first pace to making this is to boil the pasta. Calculation a little salt to the pasta cooking h2o helps to flavor the pasta as it cooks. When the pasta is washed, accept a mug or measuring cup and scoop out some of the pasta cooking water earlier draining the pasta. The water has starches from the pasta and y'all'll add nearly 1/two cup of jarred or bootleg marinara sauce.

While the pasta boils, sauté chopped onion and bell pepper in a skillet. If you desire to add more veggies to your pasta broil, add together them to the skillet now. Next you lot'll add minced garlic and ground beef to the pan and melt until the beef is browned.

Cooking onion, bell pepper and ground beef in a skillet.

Stir in marinara sauce and the reserved pasta cooking h2o. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer everything together for nearly 10 minutes to develop the flavors.

Now it'due south time to put everything together. After draining the pasta, return it to the empty pot. Pour in the beef and sauce mixture and stir to combine. Then stir in some shredded cheddar cheese. Transfer everything to a blistering dish and sprinkle on some shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake the casserole until it is hot and the cheese begins to brown, about 20 minutes. (Find the full recipe directions, including a list of ingredients and amounts, in the recipe box below.)

Freezer and Reheating Instructions

The easiest way to reheat leftover broiled pasta is to oestrus information technology in the microwave. You can also put it in a 350° F oven, covered, and rut until hot. You can shop baked pasta for up to four days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

This pasta bake freezes well. To freeze after baking, allow it cool completely then freeze in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and and then reheat as directed in a higher place.

You can also freeze the casserole earlier baking. Exist sure to freeze it in an oven-safe baking dish. Thaw it in the fridge overnight so bake information technology in your oven until it's hot and bubbly.

Macaroni pasta casserole with cheese in a white bowl.

Cooking Tips for Baked Pasta

  • Be careful to not overcook the pasta when y'all eddy information technology on the stove. You want the pasta to hold its shape in the casserole.
  • Remember to reserve some of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta. The starches in the h2o aid the sauce to come up together, but if y'all forget to reserve the pasta water you can employ regular water.
  • I like to use ane 32 ounce jar of Costco marinara sauce in this recipe and observe it to be the perfect amount of sauce. You can use any marinara sauce (shop bought or bootleg).
  • If y'all don't have elbow macaroni, any short pasta shape, such equally rigatoni, penne or rotini will piece of work in this recipe.

Macaroni Pasta Bake

Grade Primary Grade

Cuisine Italian

Keyword baked pasta, easy pasta recipes, pasta bake

Prep Fourth dimension 25 mins

Melt Time 30 mins

Full Time 55 mins

Servings ten servings

Calories 401 kcal

Foreclose your screen from going nighttime

This Macaroni Pasta Bake is piece of cake to brand with ground beefiness, marinara sauce, pasta and cheese. Utilize elbow macaroni or any short pasta shape in this comforting baked pasta casserole.

  • 16 ounces elbow pasta (or other brusk pasta shape)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
  • one bong pepper (chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 pound lean basis beef (or ground turkey)
  • 32 ounces marinara sauce
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

  • Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch blistering dish or other big rectangular baking dish.

  • Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Be conscientious to non overcook the pasta. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking h2o and then drain the pasta. Return the drained pasta to the pot.

  • Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add together the onion and bell pepper to the pan and cook, stirring oftentimes, until the vegetables soften, three to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for thirty seconds. Add the ground beef to the pan. Crumble the beef and cook until information technology is browned.

  • Cascade the marinara sauce and reserved ½ cup of pasta cooking water into the skillet. Stir in the salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about x minutes.

  • Cascade the meat and sauce mixture from the skillet into the pot with the pasta. Stir. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared goulash dish. Top with the mozzarella cheese.

  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the goulash is hot and the cheese is lightly browned on top. Let stand for v minutes and and so serve.

  • If you forget to reserve some of the pasta cooking water earlier draining the pasta, you can utilize regular water.
  • Yous can substitute the ground beef with ground turkey or sausage.
  • If you don't have elbow macaroni, any brusk pasta shape, such as rigatoni, penne or rotini volition work in this recipe. Yous can utilize whole wheat pasta if you prefer.
  • I like to use 1 32 ounce jar of Costco marinara sauce in this recipe and detect it to be the perfect amount of sauce. You can use whatsoever marinara sauce (store bought or bootleg).

Calories: 401 kcal | Carbohydrates: 42 g | Poly peptide: 25 g | Fat: 15 m | Saturated Fat: 8 one thousand | Cholesterol: 61 mg | Sodium: 836 mg | Potassium: 641 mg | Fiber: 3 1000 | Sugar: 6 yard | Vitamin A: 1068 IU | Vitamin C: 23 mg | Calcium: 250 mg | Iron: 3 mg

Nutrition information is an estimate.

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