Recipe Background
A comforting, layered bake with pasta, beef, and creamy tomato sauce.
Dive into a simple mostaccioli bake, where every comforting bite promises layers of flavors and textures. The tender pasta clings to a rich sauce, melded with savory beef, onions, and a hint of garlic. Nestled under a blanket of bubbling, golden mozzarella and a touch of parmesan, it bubbles with an inviting aroma that fills the kitchen. Each mouthful offers a symphony of warmth, sure to bring smiles around the table.
As the medley of marinara, diced tomatoes, and Italian seasoning swirls together, a sprinkle of sugar gently enhances their natural sweetness, adding depth without overpowering. Allow the sauce to simmer and thicken slightly with cream, enriching each bite with a velvety finish. The secret? Stir frequently until it coats the back of a spoon—a sign of its readiness to enfold the pasta.
Share this dish with family or friends, its generous layers inviting second servings and conversation. Easy to prepare, it’s perfect for those evenings when you crave something hearty yet unfussy. The joy is not just in the eating, but in the simple process of bringing it all together—a straightforward path to contentment in casserole form.
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) box mostaccioli or penne pasta
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes undrained
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the mostaccioli to al dente, according to the package directions.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef, the onion, and the garlic and cook, while crumbling the meat, until the beef is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Drain the excess grease.
- Add the marinara sauce, the diced tomatoes and their juices, the water, the Italian seasoning, and the sugar to the ground beef mixture, stir to combine, and simmer, about 5 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream to the ground beef mixture and simmer until it thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Evenly add 1 cup of the sauce mixture to the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Add 1/2 of the mostaccioli on top of the sauce mixture.
- Pour 1/2 of the remaining sauce mixture over the top of the cooked mostaccioli.
- Repeat the layers once, starting with the remaining mostaccioli and ending with the remaining sauce mixture.
- Sprinkle the sauce mixture with the mozzarella cheese and the parmesan cheese.
- Bake the mostaccioli mixture, uncovered, until it is hot and the cheese is lightly browned, about 25-30 minutes.
- Serve.
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