Johnny Marzetti Casserole

Submitted by Rich Williams (‘62)
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Ingredients:

  • cooking spray
  • 8 ounces rotini pasta
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • ½ pound bulk mild Italian sausage
  • ¾ cup chopped onion
  • ¼ cup chopped celery
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced green bell pepper
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (14.4 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
  • 1 ½ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 7×11-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
  2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rotini and cook until tender yet firm to the bite, 6 to 8 minutes; drain. Run cold water over pasta to stop it from cooking further.
  3. While the pasta is cooking, cook ground beef and sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until completely browned and crumbly, 7 to 10 minutes. Add onion, celery, garlic, and bell pepper; cook and stir until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
  4. Spread pasta over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle Italian cheese blend over rotini, then pour meat sauce over top. Cover the dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the casserole. Continue to bake until Cheddar has melted, about 5 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.