Italian Ground Beef Casserole

5 from 2 votes

Italian Ground Beef Casserole

The Italian Ground Beef Casserole is a comforting and hearty dish that combines savory, meaty tomato sauce with perfectly cooked pasta and a creamy cheese mixture. Topped with a layer of gooey, melted mozzarella cheese, it brings all the flavors of lasagna in a much simpler and easier-to-prepare form. This family-friendly casserole is sure to become a favorite, offering a delicious and satisfying meal any night of the week.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Keyword ground beef, lasagna casserole, noodles, pasta

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 434kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
1 white onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
15 oz marinara sauce
28 oz petite diced tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped more for garnish if desired
12 oz medium pasta such as rotini or penne
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cottage cheese
1 egg
¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
½ tsp dried basil leaves
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or more to taste

Instructions

In a large skillet, brown beef with the onion until beef is fully cooked. Drain fat and mix in the garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
Add the marinara sauce, petite diced tomatoes, sugar, and Italian seasoning.
Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in half of the parsley, taste, and season with salt & pepper.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, do not rinse.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix sour cream, cottage cheese, egg, basil, remaining parsley, and grated parmesan cheese in a small bowl.
Add a thin layer of the meat sauce to the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
Layer half of the pasta in the pan. Top with all sour cream mixture followed by the remaining pasta. Top with the remaining meat sauce.
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the dish and cover.
Bake 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition