Cheesy Beef Pasta Bake is an easy kid-friendly dish with tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, melty, stringy mozzarella, and provolone cheese.
This recipe takes the idea of a simple spaghetti Dinner and bakes it into an easy-to-share casserole dish. For more pasta casserole recipes try our Ravioli Lasagna Bake and Ultimate Cheesy Baked Spaghetti.
CHEESY BEEF PASTA BAKE
This is the ultimate cheesy comfort food with amazing flavor from Italian seasoning, garlic, diced tomatoes, and Spaghetti Sauce. The Cheesy Ground Beef and Pasta Bake is amazingly filling, simple, and completely kid-friendly. With the melty cheese and classic Italian flavors, it’s a weeknight meal that’s sure to be a favorite with the entire family!
Prepping this recipe only takes a few easy steps to combine the browned ground beef, sauce, and pasta. Then all you have to do is layer it in your casserole dish with the shredded cheese and bake. By layering mozzarella and provolone cheese in the center and on top of the recipe, you get absolutely delicious and cheesy perfection in every single bite!
Casserole dishes like this one are also great for meal prep. After baking and giving the Cheesy Beef Pasta recipe time to cool, you can cover it in plastic wrap, and then wrap it all tightly in tin foil. Write the date on top of the dish in sharpie so you know how long it’s been stored, then put it in the freezer until you’re ready to reheat and eat it. It’s a great way to have a hearty family meal ready to go even on busy weeknights.
MORE PASTA RECIPES
Cheesy Sausage and Pepper Pasta
Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs
Easy Skillet Lasagna
COOKING TIPS
- Pasta: Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the uncooked pasta. Cook until just one minute shy of the box directions, then drain the pasta and set it to the side without rinsing.
- Brown beef: Add the ground beef and sliced medium onion to a large skillet. Set the stovetop to medium-high heat and cook the meat mixture for 5-6 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break the beef apart as it cooks so that it can brown on all sides. Then add the minced garlic cloves, stir, and continue to cook the beef mixture for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Sauce: Season the cooked ground beef with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Pour the marinara sauce and diced tomatoes over the top. Bring the dish to a simmer and continue cooking slowly for 15-20 minutes.
- Prep: While the sauce is cooking get out a 9×13 inch baking dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Assemble: Stir the cooked pasta into the meat sauce until it’s well coated. Pour half the pasta mixture into the casserole dish. Then sprinkle half the provolone and mozzarella cheese over the top. Add the rest of the pasta and cheese over the top.
- Baking time: Pop the dish in the oven for 30 minutes until the cheese topping is melted and golden brown.
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VARIATIONS
- Meat filling: Instead of a Beef Pasta Casserole, you can make the recipe with different kinds of ground meat. It would taste great with ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground Italian sausage.
- Pasta sauce: If you want a creamier, more cheesy dish, you can replace the marinara in the original recipe with rich Alfredo Sauce.
- Types of cheese: Experiment with different kinds of grated cheese depending on what flavors you like best. This recipe would also be amazing with cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, Swiss cheese, Pepper Jack cheese, or muenster.
- Vegetables: For additional flavor and texture, you can mix some of your favorite veggies into the pasta dish before baking. Green pepper, mushrooms, spinach, or red onion are all delicious options.
- Herbs: Another way to add excellent flavor to the dish is by sprinkling some herbs over the top before serving. Try fresh ingredients like rosemary, oregano, fresh basil, and fresh parsley.
ITALIAN SIDE DISHES
Mushroom Risotto
Caprese Pizza Bombs
Olive Garden Italian Salad Dressing (Copycat)
Pesto Cheesy Bread
HOW TO STORE
- Serve: You don’t want to leave this Cheesy Beef Pasta Bake at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Store: Let the beef noodle casserole cool down completely before you cover it in plastic wrap or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. They’ll stay good in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Freeze: You can also freeze the Cheesy Beef Pasta Bake for up to 3 months. Set the oven to 375 degrees and reheat until the cheese is bubbly and the pasta and beef are warmed through.
Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 30 ounces marinara sauce , recipe
- 29 ounces diced tomatoes , undrained
- 1 cup provolone cheese , shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese , shredded
Instructions
- Cook pasta one minute shy of the directions on the box and drain, do not rinse.
- To a large heavy skillet add the ground beef and onions on medium-high heat.
- Cook while breaking apart the beef, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and stir, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Add marinara sauce and diced tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees while the sauce is simmering.
- Add in the cooked pasta, mix until well coated.
- In a greased 9x13 pan add half the pasta mixture and top with half the provolone cheese and mozzarella cheese.
- Top with remaining pasta and remaining cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.
Nutrition
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We made this for supper last night… Loved it…. Didn’t have shells so we used Penne Pasta instead. Had enough to take our daughter some, 5 containers in the freezer and 1 for hubby’s lunch. This is one recipe we’ll make again and again.
Love to hear it, Cheryl!