Ground Beef Casserole Easy Weeknight Dinner Recipe
This ground beef casserole is an easy dinner perfect for busy weeknights. It makes a delicious family dinner with simple casserole ingredients for a comforting weeknight meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Standard
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound uncooked penne
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1.5 cups marinara sauce
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 400F and position the rack in the middle. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the penne for 10 minutes until just underdone.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil then cook the ground beef and chopped onion for around 10 minutes, breaking the meat apart. Add the minced garlic midway and drain excess fat if necessary.
- Stir in marinara sauce, warm the mixture through and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Drain the cooked pasta and transfer to the baking dish. Combine the beef mixture with the pasta. Spread shredded cheddar cheese evenly atop. For extra cheesiness, mix in an additional half cup of cheese before topping.
- Bake uncovered for 10 minutes until the cheese melts. Optionally, broil for a few minutes to brown the top. Serve hot.
Notes
- For crisp tops, broil 2–3 minutes at the end