I know, I know. Cheese, beef and noodle casserole sounds like a recipe that you would find in a boring church cookbook.
Beef, cheese and pasta, all baked together in one nice, artery-clogging casserole dish.
This pasta dish? It might sound lowbrow but it’s really, really good. I ate it for dinner four days in a row and I still think it’s good.
I will admit that by Day 4 I was getting a little sick of looking at it, but I wasn’t sick of eating it, that’s for sure .
Before you write me off as a sell-out to the cheese, beef and noodle industries, hear me out.
This recipe is everything you could ever want in a dish: it tastes fattening, it is not fattening (lean beef! whole wheat pasta!) and it is cheap – you only need a few ingredients, some of which you probably already own.
Really.
And it’s easy.
If you can boil water for pasta you can probably handle whipping this up on a freezing cold weeknight when you’re thisclose to crawling into bed and staying there until April.
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 pound ground lean beef
- 6 cups (12 ounces) cooked whole wheat penne pasta
- 2 cups fat-free or low-fat marinara sauce
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¾ cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack Cheese
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet or casserole dish dish over medium heat (I used my cast iron but if you don't have one, use a regular skillet and transfer the pasta from the pan to an oven-safe dish before you bake).
- Add the onion, garlic and pepper flakes and stir to combine. Cook until onion is softened. Add beef and cook for approximately ten minutes or until meat is completely browned.
- Stir cooked penne, marinara sauce, ½ cup monterey jack cheese and parsley into the beef mixture. If you are using an oven safe dish, spread the remaining cheese on top of the mixture. If you need to transfer this from your pot/skillet to a casserole dish, do so first and then add the remaining cheese.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake until cheese is melted and filling bubbly, approximately 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
36 Comments
Olga @ MangoTomato
February 5, 2012 at 9:29 pmlove! carbs, meat and cheese 😉
I made something similar today with a Mexican twist!
Candace
February 4, 2012 at 7:20 amThis is just the sort of meal that my family adores! It looks delicious!
Greg
February 3, 2012 at 11:26 amYummy, yummy, yummy, I want this in my tummy. That’s a little song I sing when I really like something!
Terra
February 1, 2012 at 10:31 pmDefinitely sounds like a perfect comfort food to me! Sounds delicious, Hugs, Terra
katelin
January 31, 2012 at 7:04 pmthis seriously looks so tasty. yum.
Liz
January 31, 2012 at 6:11 pmI completely get this dish. I had the same trepidation publishing my spaghetti pie today…and I’m certain that one is in a bunch of church cookbooks. Sometimes wonderful comfort food is not very glamorous, but it’s still delicious. My family would love this casserole 🙂
Susan
January 31, 2012 at 1:34 pmThe old recipe contains some fond memories 🙂 I love how you’ve lightened it – still delicious but in a better way.
Geni
January 31, 2012 at 1:26 pmDoesn’t sound boring to me. Sounds cozy, yummy and wonderful! Excellent pasta dish for sure. I was once a Valley Girl in the 80’s. Sometimes it still slips out. 😉
Angie@Angie's Recipes
January 31, 2012 at 1:23 pmComforting and tasty! Perfect for cold days.
Nami | Just One Cookbook
January 31, 2012 at 12:56 pmIt sounds so nice that the bagel shop is open that late. I would be so happy if that kind of place is open late rather than eating junk food. I made something similar the other day but I love this kind of simple but comfort food for weekday dinners. The different ingredients from mine is red pepper flakes and Monterey Jack Cheese. I will try your version as this is very simple and we can change things around very quickly and easily. Thanks for posting this (don’t even think we get bored with your recipe!).
Sawsan@chef in disguise
January 31, 2012 at 12:36 pmMy mum makes a pasta dish that is very similar to this one and I can eat it 7 days a week..it is that good..thank you so much for sharing your recipe, it is a wonderful healthier way to warm up on a cold day
natalie (the sweets life)
January 31, 2012 at 11:01 amthis is the perfect meal for this time of year! i’d be okay eating it for several days 🙂
Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine)
January 31, 2012 at 10:13 amOh goodness this looks delish! Definitely a good Make-on-Sunday-Bring-for-Lunch-All-Week dinner! 🙂
Lindsay @ biking before bed
January 31, 2012 at 8:19 amI grew up in PA and there were 7-11s everywhere! I’m sad u missed out on the late night taquitos:) I think the simplest pasta dishes are always the best.
bellini
January 31, 2012 at 8:18 amIt sounds delicious and not boring at all!
mzt1
January 31, 2012 at 7:10 amThis is just the kind of recipe I was looking for! We all have dinner at different times & need to healthy food.
Lisa {Smart Food and Fit}
January 31, 2012 at 6:55 amI agree pure comfort food! I chuckled at your comment, “looks like a recipe in a church cookbook!” lol
Blond Duck
January 31, 2012 at 6:43 amPure comfort.
Amanda
January 30, 2012 at 10:28 pmEvery couple of weeks, I’ll come home late from work and my husband will have cooked dinner and it’s a dish almost exactly like yours. It’s always delicious, but we never have leftovers! Leftovers become non-existant when you have two growing boys in your house.
Lora @cakeduchess
January 30, 2012 at 10:12 pmThere is nothing like a yummy home cooked meal and this is definitely yummy:)
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
January 30, 2012 at 7:30 pmMaris, this doesn’t sound low brow at all to me. In fact I think it sounds absolutely delightful! 😀
Marsha @ The Harried Cook
January 30, 2012 at 7:12 pmComfort food! I make something just like this for dinner quite often, and I am very happy to eat the leftovers for 2-3 days after that. I even love eating it cold from the fridge, but the weather is pretty warm throughout the year 🙂 I bet this tastes hearty, warming and absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing 🙂
thatShortChick
January 30, 2012 at 7:01 pmI don’t find pasta “lowbrow,” cheese, sauce, and pasta noodles = perfection.
leslie
January 30, 2012 at 6:16 pmNothing wrong with lowbrow. Sometimes the simplest dishes are the best
Chris
January 30, 2012 at 6:01 pmNothing says tummy-warming goodness than a bowl of tomatoey-cheesey pasta on a chilly night. I haven’t had pasta in so long…need to get on that! 🙂
Melissa@IWasBornToCook
January 30, 2012 at 6:00 pmA dish very similar to this is a staple in our house…it never gets old!
Courtney
January 30, 2012 at 4:09 pmI think it sounds great! A perfect comfort food – plus, I bet my kids would LOVE it.
amy @ fearless homemaker
January 30, 2012 at 3:44 pmbasic or not, this reminds me soo much of a dish my mom would make when we were growing up. total comfort food for me. in fact, whenever i’m having a bad day or it’s chilly/icky outside, this is the type of meal i gravitate towards. yum!
Mom
January 30, 2012 at 3:23 pmEasy, not fattening and inexpensive! Perfect combination!
Kelly
January 30, 2012 at 2:56 pmWe do some version of pasta marinara about once every week or two. It never gets old. I’ve started making my own marinara because it’s SO easy. Yum!
Kathryn
January 30, 2012 at 2:43 pmThis is such perfect comfort food, I would love a big bowl of this right now!
Kay
January 30, 2012 at 2:34 pmLooks easy and delicious!
Cookin' Canuck
January 30, 2012 at 12:47 pmLowbrow? Heck no! This sounds like the ultimate comfort dish to me – one that would be perfect for feeding a crowd, at 3am or otherwise.
Erica
January 30, 2012 at 12:43 pmmmmmm there is nothing look a good pasta bake! It seems to get even more amazing overnight in the fridge!
DessertForTwo
January 30, 2012 at 12:31 pmThis sounds so cozy & easy! Everyone should eat this once a week in the winter 🙂
Jessica
January 30, 2012 at 12:18 pmWe have been having some surprise cold weather lately and this sounds perfect!