This ground beef casserole recipe is super easy to throw together and feeds a crowd! It's comforting and uses simple ingredients.
Love casseroles? You may also like my Easy Taco Casserole Recipe or my Ranch Chicken and Rice Casserole.
This cheesy beef and pasta casserole is sure to be a hit with the kiddos. It's also really easily adaptable based on what you've got in the fridge/pantry/etc. You could even throw in some extra veggies if you want.
I wasn't sure whether to call this a casserole or ground beef pasta bake or what. Basically, you just boil up some penne, and while that's cooking, you make a quick tomato and meat sauce. You then toss it together in a 9x13 dish, top it with cheese, and bake. Easy peasy.
Hamburger pasta casserole recipe notes & tips:
- Don't have marinara sauce? Any jarred tomato-based pasta sauce will work, or use a similar amount of tomato sauce or even a combo of tomato products such as diced tomatoes and tomato paste or crushed tomatoes (I'd then add in a bit of Italian seasoning or other herbs for more flavor). This recipe definitely can be adapted based on what's in your pantry.
- You can substitute the penne with whatever pasta you have on hand (or even use egg noodles like some casseroles do). I recommend slightly undercooking any pasta/noodles so it doesn't go mushy in the oven.
- The ingredient quantities don't have to be exact. A bit more or less beef will be totally fine. Want to add more sauce? Go ahead. Same with the cheese. 🙂
- If you want to put a Tex-Mex spin on this recipe, add in some beans, taco spices, and use a Tex-Mex cheese blend.
More tasty ground beef recipes:
- Ground Beef Gnocchi
- Beef Ramen Noodles (Stir Fry)
- Easy Hamburger Soup
- Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe
- Easy Creamy Beef and Shells
- Easy Cheesy Taco Pasta
Let me know if you'll give this easy ground beef pasta casserole recipe a try!
Questions? Leave me a comment below.
Ground Beef Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked penne
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1.5 cups marinara sauce
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F and move the rack to the middle position. Grease a 9x13 baking dish (I use Pam spray).
- Boil a large, salted pot of water for the penne. Cook it for 10 minutes (it should be slightly underdone so it doesn't get mushy).
- Add the oil, beef, and onion to a skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat, breaking the meat up as you go along, for 10 minutes. Once it gets going, stir in the garlic. Spoon out excess fat if needed.
- Stir in the marinara sauce and warm through. Give it a taste and season with salt & pepper as needed.
- Drain the pasta and pour it into the baking dish. Pour the beef mixture over top and then toss until it's combined with the pasta. Top with an even layer of the cheese. If you want it extra cheesy, you can stir in an additional half cup of cheese prior to topping it with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake for 10 minutes, uncovered, until the cheese is nicely melted. I then broil it for a few minutes (optional) to brown the cheese up a bit. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This is a very flexible recipe where additions/substitutions/etc. are fine. I have some tips within the blog post.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Kevin says
I'm going to make this tonight I will come back and let you know how it is
Natasha says
Hope you enjoy it, Kevin!
Elizabeth says
Nice quick and simple weeknight recipe with ingredients a lot of people already have in cupboards. For those on alternative diets, I will say I used what I had on hand, which was 1 lb grassfed beef, a 12 oz box Barilla gluten free penne, and Daiya dairy free mozzarella shreds and it was quite good.
Natasha says
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Samantha betters says
This is an amazing recipe will let you know how it tastes once completed! Thank you for sharing
Natasha says
You're welcome!
Kara says
Pretty delicious, even my picky 4 yo liked it!!
Natasha says
Fantastic! 😀
Breonna Holton says
So this is basically ziti....I was making it and I was like....so this is a lot like ziti than when I put it together it was just ziti
Natasha says
Well... it's a baked pasta dish, yes. If you want to get technical, ziti is its own pasta shape that's slightly different from penne. And baked ziti often uses sausage instead of ground beef. Also, there's often ricotta cheese inside as well as the top cheese layer (depending on the recipe). In any case, I hope you enjoyed it! 🙂
Yesenia says
Willl be trying this tonight I’m hoping it comes out good! Thank you for this I didn’t know what to do with my ground beef LOL
Natasha says
I hope you enjoy it!! Let me know 🙂
Gina says
Very simple and delicious! I am always on the look out for easy dinner recipes and this ticked all the boxes. Great recipe! This one’s a definite keeper!
Natasha says
Thank you!!
Shirley says
The dish ending up being very good. There's so much you can do with it. Add veggies, different cheese, etc... I will def be making it again.
Natasha says
I'm thrilled to hear that!! Yes, it's definitely a flexible recipe.
Heather says
If you wanna throw the Tex mix twist on it would you still use the marinara?
Heather says
Sorry Tex-Mex Twist.
Natasha says
I think that should be fine since it's a fairly basic-tasting tomato sauce... you could perhaps use a large jar of salsa instead, though.
Kim says
If I am making this for another family, will it still taste okay if they put in the fridge for a day? Also, how long do you think they should cook it for if it's coming out of a cold fridge?
Natasha says
I think it'll work fine to assemble it a day ahead. I'd probably have them bake it with foil to start with (like maybe for 30 minutes or so), and then bake it uncovered for another 20 min (approx.) or until it's warmed through. Then they can broil if they wish to get the cheese all bubbly. It's basically just about it being hot inside, so it'll depend on their oven, so this is just a guess. You may want to add a little more sauce since it'll be sitting in the fridge and the pasta may soak it up a bit.
Andrea says
I’m glad i found this recipe, so simple and delicious for an easy meal, perfect when you don’t want to be in the kitchen too long.
Natasha says
Excellent! So glad you enjoyed it!
Anna says
Do you think Alfredo sauce would be a good substitute for the marinara sauce. My family is not big on marinara or any other kind of red sauce.
Natasha says
Hi! I think it could be ok. Part of me is slightly worried it could separate in the oven, but I have done baked pasta with Alfredo sauce before and it's worked out fine. Let me know if you try!
Anna says
It is amazing with the Alfredo sauce and I added some boiled potatoes tastes amazing!
Natasha says
Great!! 😀
Lady says
Would mozzarella work instead of cheddar?
Natasha says
Yes!
Jess says
I'm glad to have seen this to give my family a little different idea for dinner. Our family also isn't a big fan of red sauce so going to try to sub for white sauce. Hoping it turns out okay. we don't have potatoes but added some peppers in with the onion for a little extra something..... my family isn't a huge fan of onion either except for me (mama) of course lol but we will see how it goes. In the process of cooking before the oven part. Thanks for adding the recipe. excited to try it
Natasha says
Hi! I am wondering if you're looking at a different recipe since there's no potatoes in here unless it's a typo lol. Please let me know how it goes!
Amber says
Going to give this a try tonight. Only difference I'm going to make is instead of plain marinara sauce I'm going to use the mushroom green pepper sauce I use for our spaghetti. This sounds delicious and I'm sure my kids will love it.
Natasha says
Enjoy! I think that sauce would be good for sure. 🙂
Sara says
Delicious and super easy!
Natasha says
🙂
Jim B says
I was looking for a recipe that used ground beef and since I had everything on hand I thought I'd give it a try. I really liked it! The rest of the family liked it - even though the kids said it was "fine" and "all right", they had seconds and they only do that if they like it. This one's a keeper.
Natasha says
That's great!! So happy your kiddos liked it too. It can be tough feeding a whole family sometimes haha.
Teagan says
I mad this for my family after a long day at work, they loved it. I am going to make this again it was soooo good.
Natasha says
Excellent!! 🙂
Patti D says
Hi I just made this. While I used a curly pasta, I think you either need to use less pasta or more sauce and more cheese. Some of the pasta came out crunchy.
Natasha says
Thanks for the tip! Yup, it can definitely vary a little depending on the pasta shape. I don't mind a few crunchy pieces from broiling, but if the pasta itself was undercooked, you probably could boil it for a touch longer.
Andrew Durrette says
Cooked it tonight for myself and parents, used 2 pounds beef, didn’t use onion due to allergies and instead used, thyme, oregano, basil, and touch of chili powder. Enjoyed it very much!
Natasha says
That's great!! I'm so happy you all enjoyed it.
Jasmine says
I love how easy this was! I made my own sauce and added peas to get some veggies in. My 6 year old son loved it and his more picky than the average kid so that's high praise!!!
Natasha says
That's great to hear. I love when the kiddos enjoy my recipes. 😀
Katie says
This was so good! Made it tonight. Thanks!
Natasha says
Great!! 🙂 You are welcome!
Judy says
Can this be frozen?
Natasha says
I think that should be fine. I'm personally not a fan of freezing cooked pasta, but my husband does all the time haha. You may want to add a little more marinara sauce when reheating.
Mechi Degiorgis says
Very easy to make and satisfying for everyone!
Natasha says
Wonderful! 🙂
Bobbie Jo Allen says
I made this tonight for my family! They all loved it!! I will be trying some more of your recipes.
Natasha says
Excellent!! 🙂 So glad to hear it. Let me know if you try anything else.
Haley Alonso says
My crew of 3 boys and husband LOVED this recipe. I upped to two cloves of garlic as its a favorite flavor of ours but it was delicious. I used Italian and Mozarella cheeses in ours. This will be a staple!
Natasha says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it!! 🙂
CHAY says
I love it it was SOOOO GOOD instead of cheddar I used mozzarela.
Natasha says
Fab!! 🙂
Tammy Simmons says
DELICIOUS!!! MY FAMILY RAVAGED IT!!!!THANK YOU I WILL BE KEEPING THIS ONE!!!!
Natasha says
So happy to hear that!! Thanks for taking the time to review this!
Gaby says
Made this today. Cheddar is really strong. I would definitely go with another cheese and add more sauce as it was dry as well.
Alex says
25 year old dude living on his own. If I can do it, anyone can. Thanks so much!
Natasha says
Haha awesome!! Glad you tried it and liked it, Alex.
Bill says
Added hot sausage and used Colby and Monterey Jack cheese, also use more marinara sauce. Very tasty
Natasha says
Wonderful!
Laura says
We added a can a mushrooms which brought it from a 4 to a 5. Yum.
Natasha says
That’s great! So glad you liked it.
Suzanne says
So easy. My three teens loved it. Thank you!
Natasha says
Excellent! You're welcome. 🙂
Natalie Kopp says
Easy and delicious!! Will make it again for sure!!
Natasha says
Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know! XO
Quinn says
Natasha u did good I'm a first timer although I have cooked for awhile but still if this professional bachelor can do it anybody can it was easy and good as it was easy lol
Natasha says
Haha that's great to hear! Thank you!
Erica says
I made this recipe for dinner and my family absolutely loved it my husband ate 3 plates throughout the night it was simple and fast to make thank you for the recipe it was delicious ❤️
Natasha says
Haha wow that's awesome!! 🙂 So happy it was a hit!
Adee says
OMG!!!!
Absolutely delicious 🤤
Big hit for today’s lunch, I knew this would be a great recipe but it was way better than I thought
Natasha says
Yay!! I'm so happy to hear that! 😀
Brittany says
I subbed Boursin cheese for some of the cheddar and minced garlic, it added a little creaminess and was delicious!
Natasha says
Oooh good idea!
Hannah says
Can I use Spaghetti noodles?
Natasha says
Sure. Just make sure to undercook them a bit when you boil them so they don't get too soggy.
Lindsay E. says
Like many others during quarantine cooking, I had ground beef in the freezer and not a lot of produce in the fridge. I read the recipe and all of the iterations and tips and decided “it’s dinner time!”
I can almost never follow a recipe exactly either because of a personality flaw or because I don’t have all the ingredients. Usually the former lol
I loved all the tips to adapt this to what you had on hand. I made my own sauce with random sad fridge veggies and topped with mozzarella cheese.
This came together quick enough for a weeknight meal. The only thing I would do is cook on like 425 or even 450 for the 10 mins as there wasn’t much browning happening on 400.
Natasha says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it! 😀 I'm the same way about following recipes lol. Except with baking on the rare occasion where I'm actually in a baking mood haha.
Roderich says
Delicious 😋
Natasha says
Thank you!!
Lilianna says
I have an hard time finding recipes to cook and for the first time, i actually have all the ingredients. I can't just drive to store since I'm 15 lol and i have an big family so my parents are busy. This is an simple recipe to cook for me and my siblings and it tasted delicious. 💜
Natasha says
Haha aww I'm so glad it worked out for you, Lilianna! That's nice of you to cook for your family. 🙂
Sarah says
Isn't this just baked ziti?? It's literally everything you do to make ziti.
Natasha says
Well, there's no ziti in there for a start. And baked ziti usually uses sausage. But it's close haha.
Kim Cuenca says
Sooooooo good & easy to make
Natasha says
Thank you!!
teresa g says
it is a good recipe and quick/easy to make, next time i will use more meat and more sauce and maybe less pasta, i used lots of cheese on top...more than it called for, and sour cream is great on top!
Valerie Arriola says
Should we cook the ground beef first? Or it will be cooked while it’s being baked?
Natasha says
Hi! Step 3 of the recipe explains how you're cooking it in a skillet for 10 minutes. Did you not scroll down to the full recipe maybe?
Veronica Ramirez says
What would make you think that you would EVER put uncooked meat in a casserole? It ALWAYS gets cooked beforehand 🥴🥴🥴
Natasha says
Maybe she is new to cooking. We all have to learn somewhere. I look back on some of my early cooking experiences and cringe hehe. (Or she just missed reading that step in the recipe).
Karen says
Thanks. This kind and empathetic response brought back the memory of MUCH younger me proudly making Mac and cheese for my dad for the first time. Totally missed the "drain the macaroni" step. God bless that man, he loved his, umm, soup. X-D. I'm looking forward to trying this casserole this week. 🙂
Natasha says
Hahaha oh no. I think we've all been there! I hope you like this recipe, Karen! 🙂
Ana Konorova says
Loved it! My kids gobbled it down with no hesitation.
Natasha says
That's fab!!
Linda says
I too made a couple of minor changes to this recipe.
I used a jar of Paul Newman's Own spaghetti sauce and added a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, I like chunks of tomatoes and lots of good sauce in mine. I added a few drops of worcestershire sauce, and a little diced green bell pepper.
It was very good, both the hubby and I enjoyed it with a nice tossed salad.
Natasha says
I'm glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂 Love your tweaks!
Mrs. Wilson says
This was quick and easy to make as well as convenient because I had everything on hand. I added sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, fresh rosemary and bell pepper as well as diced tomatoes to my sauce. I used 1 jar marinara and 1 jar of four cheese pasta sauce. I layered the pasta, then meat sauce and finished off with grated colby jack and mozzarella before baking. We also added parmesan cheese once we played it. The family loved it and I will be making this again! Thank you
Natasha says
Wonderful!!
Marc Shadden says
You can go a hundred directions with this dish. I stir in some Greek yogurt with a homemade marinara sauce and add a little spice with some chili flakes.
Natasha says
Yes! That's what I love about this recipe. So happy you enjoyed it, Marc! 🙂
Jerika Burton says
I love this recipe! I was wondering what to make with hamburger and sausage I had a pound of each. So I found a recipe through it together with some spaghetti noodles and I had sheets to go over the top I even stood and some sour cream and it was delicious my husband loved it! I have 1000 recipes like this from my grandmother that I found I just haven’t had time to go through them do you think I should start my own little blog like this? Shoot me a text and let me know what you think I need some inspiration please. 618-216-0676. I’m at Midwest farmers daughter so I have all kinds of these yummy fattening recipes
Natasha says
That's awesome! So glad you liked the recipe. Feel free to email me if you want to discuss blogging. 🙂
Sierra says
I added diced peppers and it turned out amazing and adds flavor
Natasha says
Awesome!!
Caroline says
Ok, I had my doubts. I mean, it's a ground beef casserole, and they all seem to taste the same, right? Wrong! This was really, really good! My picky child loved it and my husband and I loved it, too!. I did add a finely chopped bell pepper while the meat was cooking, and I added a zucchini, thinly sliced in quarter moons, with about three minutes left on the meat mixture. I think a sweet red or yellow pepper would be awesome, too. (Gotta sneak those veggies in when you can) I used a four cheese Bertolli marinara for the sauce. Y'all. This was so amazingly good! It's definitely going into my lineup!
Natasha says
That makes me happy!! 🙂
Katie says
We loved this. I used a spaghetti sauce and crushed tomatoes and lots of Italian seasoning and egg noodles. I layered the noodle sauce and cheese and it was super delicious
Natasha says
I'm so happy to hear that!! 🙂
Margie says
Love this! I went with Mexican spices & threw in a can of mild rotel then added some mozzarella to the Mexican blend cheese. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stop eating it! #sodelish
Natasha says
Awesome!! Love your take on this recipe.
T. Ferguson says
I didnt have any olive oil so I used yak butter. Also I don't like ground beef so I just used some bone-in ribeyes with teriyaki rub I had on hand. Was pretty good but I would probably double the rosemary and cut the salt by 9/16ths.
Natasha says
This is possibly the best comment ever.
Laura says
Can this be made a head of time and frozen?
Natasha says
Hi! I haven't personally tried doing that. I'd probably freeze it prior to baking it, and then bake it as the final step after you thaw it in the fridge overnight.
Marty says
Very good. Next time I would double the meat ot only use 1/2 lbs of pasta. I would also add some Alfredo sauce in.
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Let me know it goes with the Alfredo sauce... I think that would be very tasty too!
K.J. says
I used good ol' spaghetti and mixed the ground beef/garlic/onion with a four cheese blend marinara and added a little tomato paste to thicken it up a bit. I also used a couple of spoonfuls of Better than Bouillon (beef) and onion/garlic powder. I tossed the spaghetti with some salted butter and parsley before putting it in the baking dish. Topped it with cheddar, jack, and mozzarella. Before serving, I cut up some avocado to put on top and sprinkled some parm. Yum!
Natasha says
Delish!
Melissa Rothanburg says
That what I was going to use. Do I need to adjust the cooking time since I’ll be using spaghetti?
Natasha says
You might want to boil it for a bit less (maybe 8-9 minutes for al dente... I'd check the package directions), but I think 10 mins in the oven should be fine.
Haley says
seemed to be not enough meed but it was very good overall, also good with Parmesan cheese added when you put it on your plate.
Natasha says
I'm glad you liked it! You could definitely add more beef next time.
Ang says
So I know it says you can use any pasta but don't! Penne is good. I used elbows because it was all I had and that was just way too much pasta. It spread out all the sauce too much and next thing I knew there wasn't enough sauce or meat. It still tasted good but needed something more! Penne is best!
Natasha says
Sorry bout that! Next time I guess! 🙁
Mirta says
I loved it i used a LB Deer ground beef, 12oz jar tomato/basil and leftover can tomatoes and frozen green peas and 1/2 a box of macaroni noodles and 1 beef knorr bouillon with the garlic/onion and cheddar cheese. Very easy to make!
Natasha says
Great!! 🙂
Joyce says
Excellent and very easy dish. I Modified the dish using ground veal instead of beef. I added fresh portobello mushrooms and used a portobello mushroom and wine red sauce. I will make this again!
Natasha says
Sounds delish! So glad you enjoyed it!
Deidra Adams says
Quick easy meal to make, and it will last a couple of days. It came out really delicious! I just added a few more cheeses; mozzarella & Parmesan.
Natasha says
Wonderful!! 🙂 Thanks for commenting, Deidra!
Beooke says
Such a delicious dish! Even though I didn't have the same pasta (had to use fettuccine) and no jarred marinara (I just made an easy homemade one) it turned out so good! Second helping for me please. Definitely a keeper!
Natasha says
Wonderful! And homemade marinara is the best!
Bake it always says
I used radiator pasta because it’s all I had on hand
Melissa says
Easy yet delicious! My entire family enjoyed it! This recipe will be a favorite!
Natasha says
Wonderful! Thanks for commenting, Melissa! 😀
Trish W says
Has anyone made it with mozzarella instead of cheddar?
Natasha says
I think it would work fine 🙂
Christine says
I am making it with mozzarella tonight and I am using half a box of ziti and a 12 oz jar of sauce . My husband loves his dishes cheesy so I use extra cheese ! A cup of it mixed in and a cup on top .
Natasha says
Sounds good to me!!
Jeff says
Thank you for this recipe. Delicious!!! I made enough for 8 meals and took the casserole to hunting camp. Next time I make this dish, I will substitute the meat with elk burger. 97% lean, no hormones and no antibiotics.
I am looking forward to that meal.
Natasha says
You're very welcome!
Bettyj says
I added some green peas, carrots, corn to recipe. Very good.
Natasha says
Excellent!!
Stephanie says
Wonderful, easy, tasty and inexpensive enough for an unexpected crowd!!! Thank you, you got me out of a predicament for sure!!!
Natasha says
I'm so glad to hear that, Stephanie! 🙂
Amy L Marrs says
Thiss is an AWESME recipe! Rarely d oI give 5 stars but this is deserving of so much more! I made some substitutions and add-ins. I have severe arthritis and fibriomyalgia so I'm always looking for quick and easy recipes that don't require a lot of work in the kitchen. My husband has ciliac and diabetes so I have to watch my ingredients. I cook with frozen onions and jarred garlic for convenience. I used a frozen vegetable medley with onions, celery, green and red peppers and parsley instead of the onions as well as the garlic for added flavor. I used gluten free rotini pasta that only comes in 12 oz. but this was the perfect amount. I used a 24 oz. jar of marinara sauce as we like it seemed to need more. I also added a package of cauliflower with garlic parmesean (this was the only thing the kids didn't like, but I warned them that this was a new recipe/experiment, lol). I added just a little bit of seasoned salt and some seasoned pepper along with some onion and garlic powder. Other than the cauliflower, this was a hit! I will be making it again with a few more twists but no vegetables, LOL. Thank you for the great recipe, it could not have been easier or better!!!
Natasha says
Aww, I'm so happy to hear that, Amy! Thanks for your thoughtful comment. XO
Rhonda Scott says
I used 1/2 pound pasta and a little more sauce. Delishious. Will definitely make again
Natasha says
Glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Regina says
I will be giving it a try. Thank you for idea. Been cooking for over 50 years and I am tired of my own ideas. 🙂
Natasha says
Haha let me know if you like it!
Michele M says
Easy to prepare and salt can be controlled. I can't use products like Hamburger Helper because of the high amount of sodium. My family is on a low sodium diet
Natasha says
I'm so happy that you're able to use and enjoy this recipe!
Christie says
Perfect “don’t know what to make for dinner” dinner! Made this last night and we loved it. Added fresh cherry tomatoes from the garden, zucchini for color, Italian seasoning and of course, the extra cheese. Used a different pasta noodle and found I only needed 1/2 pound and barely needed 5 minutes in the oven to melt the yummy cheese on top. This recipe is a keeper!
Natasha says
Awesome!! Love your additions. I love when people tweak it... it's definitely meant to be a good "base" recipe! 🙂
Jocelyn Canamaso says
I'll give it a try, looks delicious but simple. Let you know....
Natasha says
Hope you like it! 🙂
Gary Schmaltz says
Love it! I live alone, so I have
left overs, can you freeze it?
Natasha says
I’m so glad you liked it! I think you could freeze it, yes. I haven’t tried, though. I’d warm it up on a low heat.
VLaz says
I have frozen similar baked pasta dishes after they have cooled down. I then thaw in the refrigerator for about a day then heat portions or the entire casserole in the microwave. Comes out just fine every time.
Natasha says
Thank you!
Lai’la says
I really appreciated this recipe!! I’m only 14 years old and I made this meal for my entire family!!😊😊WE LOVED IT!!10 out of ten would recommend
Natasha says
Wow that’s awesome!! I’m so happy it was a hit. Thanks for using my recipe and coming back to comment. ♥️
Kelley says
So, so, so delicious! Making it again for dinner tonight. Can’t wait to check out what other yummy recipes on your site. Thank you!
Natasha says
Wonderful! So glad you found me! Let me know if you make anything else. 🙂
Ashley lambert says
Thank you!! Needed something fast and easy!!
Natasha says
You're welcome!! I'm glad you liked it! 🙂
Ashley lambert says
I also added caned mini green chili to the beef (mild)
Tina Covarrubias says
I am making this recipe for dinner .looks 😋 delicious
Natasha says
I hope you like it, Tina! 🙂 Let me know how it goes!
Tracey says
Very quick and easy. Just needed a little help figuring out what to make for dinner:)
Natasha says
So glad you liked it, Tracey! 🙂 XO
Tharon Foster says
This is a great recipe! This is a great "blog"! Very well organized, easy to follow; great pictures.
Natasha says
Wonderful! I'm so happy to hear that. It's definitely my goal! 🙂
Bill C says
Being in Southeast Texas I went more Mexican with it. Added a package of chili mix seasoning and a can of chili beans, a little more garlic, cumino, chili powder, and more cheeses. It was great. I was afraid with the tomato base my girls wouldn't eat it but they gobbled it up.
Natasha says
Love that!! I'm so pleased your girls liked it, Bill!
Tennyson Gibson says
I was looking for something to make ground beef with and I fell across this recipe. Easy, fast, and delicious. I used more seasonings and more sauce, but absolutely great.
Natasha says
I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting 🙂
Tammy B. says
Talk about a success of a receipe. We made this tonight and it was amazing. My husband and I couldn't get enough...My kids ate seconds...and a battle for who would get the left overs. Luckily we made extra, so enough for all. I can't wait to try out more of your receipes! A++
Natasha says
Wow I'm so happy to hear that, Tammy!! 🙂 Let me know if you make anything else.
Skylar Sagal says
I normally dont cook a lot. But I gave this one a try and it was so easy and it tasted amazing.
Natasha says
That's what I like to hear! Thanks for leaving me a comment. 🙂
Shirley says
My family loved it❤️❤️❤️
Natasha says
Wonderful!! I am so happy to hear that!
Michael Gabriele says
Very good recipe. I used mozzarella cheese and I added pecorino and fresh basil. The pasta I chose was mezzo pacheri
Natasha says
Wonderful! So glad you liked it!
Sara says
Simple to make, kids and adults loved it
Natasha says
So glad to hear that, Sara!
Tina says
I made this with zucchini added in the beef mixture and used vodka sauce. It needed more so I added a small can of tomato purée as well. When mixing the ingredients together I also added a broccoli cauliflower mix of veggies and shredded mozzarella and provolone. I topped it with the remaining cheese and a small bag of shredded cheddar. It was delicious. Make sure you season everything a little!
Natasha says
I love your additions!
Serina says
Super easy and delicious base recipe. I added some heavy whipping cream and a bit of cream cheese to the sauce to make it creamy. I added the whole jar of sauce since we love our sauce as well as mini sweet bell peppers. yum yum yum!
Natasha says
Excellent! So happy that you liked it. The mini peppers are a great idea!
Lorraine Copeland says
Before I make: why are there green flakes that I can't tell what they are in picture of casserole but nothing indicated in recipe?
Natasha says
Hi! It's just fresh chopped parsley to help the photos from looking too monochromatic. 🙂 That's why I don't mention it. You're welcome to add some if you wish (I just sprinkled it on after cooking) since parsley brightens up most dishes in my opinion, but totally optional!
Janie Cantu says
Going to make for my client
Natasha says
Hope they like it!
Tara High says
Absolutely delicious!😋😁
Natasha says
Yay!! Thank you!
Me says
I made it and it’s very good however I’d suggest at least another cup on sauce and more cheese. It was a little dry.
Natasha says
I'm so glad you liked it! Your suggestions are helpful, thank you!
Tapiwa says
I made this recipe tonight. I must say it was wonderful. I even mixed 2 different pasta. Just b4 putting in the oven I added some broccoli and mini sweet bell peppers and let me tell you... it was devine.. will definitely be adding this recipe to our weekly meals. My husband has second helpings. Everyone cleaned their plates.. that’s all I’m sayin.
Natasha says
Aww I'm so happy you enjoyed it!! 🙂 Love your additions!!
Donna says
I tried this recipe for the first time tonight and it was really good. My husband has been complaining about being tired of the same old thing. He even said he liked it. I took some over to the neighbors and they said they also enjoyed it and asked me for the recipe. I'm interested in more recipes like this one. Keep the good and easy recipes coming. Thanks again.
Natasha says
Well that's awesome! Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment. 🙂 I will definitely keep the quick/easy recipes coming.
Donna says
I needed something to make with some ground beef and found this recipe. It was so easy to make!! My husband loved it! Thanks for the great recipe 😊
Natasha says
I'm so glad to hear that! 🙂 You're very welcome!
Moloko says
I made this dish and enjoyed it . It’s a go to now 🤗 thank you .
Natasha says
That's awesome!! I'm so glad to hear it.
Sophia says
I made this tonight for dinner and it was a huge hit!
I used rotini pasta instead, flavored with taco seasoning, onion and added the black beans as you recommended. It was DELICIOUS!
Thank you for sharing your WONDERFUL recipes!!
Natasha says
Yay I'm so happy you enjoyed it!! You're very welcome. Thanks for letting me know!
Kelly says
In the Philippines, we have a similar dish adding a few more veg like bell peppers, and spices (cinnamon and nutmeg) and topping it with bechamel and cheese. We call it baked macaroni. Our meat version of Mac and Cheese. Definitely a family favorite.
Natasha says
Ooh I've never heard of that... it sounds delicious. My mom makes a lasagna with bechamel sauce and bolognese and it's soo good.
Ashlyn @ F5 Method says
This looks soooo cozy! A perfect [...] comfort dinner!
Natasha says
Thanks so much!! (I edited your comment because bloggers have been told that using words associated with the current events may negatively impact our Google rankings so I am erring on the side of caution).