Buon Appetito! In fact, with the Italian Casserole on the table, it’s going to be a great evening! This home-cooked favorite whisks you away to the sunny hills and marbled blue waters of Italy on a ship of bright, sweet tomato sauce, savory beef, and tender pasta shells. A magical melt of creamy mozzarella and provolone cheeses tops the Italian Casserole like a classical column of taste that amazes the eye and the tastebuds. Enjoy your culinary vacation to Italy! Salute!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (24-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (4-ounce) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3 cups medium pasta shells
- 3 plum tomatoes, sliced
- 3/4 cup provolone cheese, shredded
- 3/4 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 -In a large skillet, cook the beef and the onions over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes.
Step 3 -Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 4 -Drain the fat from the skillet.
Step 5 -Stir in the spaghetti sauce, the diced tomatoes and their juices, the mushrooms, and the Italian seasoning.
Step 6 -Bring the beef mixture to a boil.
Step 7 -Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Step 8 -Cook the pasta shells to al dente, according to the package directions.
Step 9 -Drain the pasta.
Step 10 -Add the pasta shells to the beef mixture.
Step 11 -Gently stir in the plum tomatoes.
Step 12 -Transfer the beef mixture to an ungreased 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 13 -Top the beef mixture evenly with the provolone and the mozzarella.
Step 14 -Bake until bubbly and heated through, about 25-30 minutes.
Step 15 -Serve warm.
