Description
A comforting and satisfying casserole made with pasta, lean ground beef, and cheese, perfect for a weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb rigatoni or penne pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 jar (24 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 container (16 oz) cottage cheese (2% or whole milk)
- 1 bag (8 oz) shredded Italian blend cheese
- Salt for pasta water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and grease a 13×9-inch casserole dish.
- Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente, about 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the ground beef for about 5 minutes until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Add tomato sauce to the skillet and stir until warmed through, about 3-4 minutes. Mix in the cooked pasta until well coated.
- Layer half of the pasta mixture in the casserole dish. Add dollops of cottage cheese, then sprinkle with half of the shredded cheese. Repeat layering.
- Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and golden on top. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Consider adding frozen vegetables for extra nutrition or breadcrumbs for a crunchy topping.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: casserole, budget-friendly, weeknight meal, pasta, comfort food, family dinner
