Johnny Marzetti Pasta Casserole Recipe

The best thing about this recipe is that you can prepare it in advance and then bake it later. That means you can come home to a hot, homemade meal without extra effort.

Traditionally, when you make Johnny Marzetti, ground beef is used. It’s often referred to as American chop suey. But, you can use ground turkey or even ground pork when you make Johnny Marzetti.

• 2 cups dry penne pasta
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• One green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
• Medium (15 ounce) can of diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can of tomato sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper, as desired
• 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta al dente or according to package directions. Do not overcook, as the pasta will continue cooking in the oven. Drain well.

In a large (12 inch) skillet or dutch oven, brown the ground beef with the onions and bell peppers, crumbling the ground beef as it cooks until the meat is completely browned. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until the mushrooms are softened. Drain well, and then return the mixture to the skillet.

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt and pepper, and seasonings to the meat and vegetables. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Combine the meat sauce with the cooked noodles or pasta in the pasta pot. Stir in half of the shredded cheddar cheese. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake the Johnny Marzetti pasta casserole for 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and top with the remaining cheddar cheese or Italian cheese blend. Continue to bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.