Treat your tastebuds to a night out on the town (in style) with the Million Dollar Pasta Bake with Cheesy Meat Sauce. Spare no expense where the flavor is concerned with perfectly cooked pasta nestled into a tangy, creamy, creamy sauce with plenty of meat for extra savoriness. The Million Dollar Pasta Bake with Cheesy Meat Sauce is monocle-popping delicious and richer than even the name suggests!
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 16 ounces cottage cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 pound lean ground beef or ground sausage
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 24 ounces marinara sauce, plus more to taste
- kosher salt, to taste
- fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound penne, macaroni, or rotini pasta, cooked to package instructions.
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Parsley, optional, minced, for garnish
- basil, optional, minced, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 3 –In a bowl, beat the eggs, parsley, sour cream, parmesan cheese, and cottage cheese together.
Step 4 –Set the egg mixture aside.
Step 5 –Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 6 –Add the olive oil.
Step 7 –Add the garlic and onions, cooking until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 8 –Add the beef and cook for about 2 minutes.
Step 9 –Add the bell peppers and saute for 2-3 minutes or until the beef is cooked through.
Step 10 –Remove the skillet from the heat and add the pasta sauce, salt, and pepper.
Step 11 –Stir until everything is combined well and then set aside.
Step 12 –Add a thin layer of the meat sauce mixture to the baking dish.
Step 13 –Add half the cooked pasta in an even layer.
Step 14 –Layer on 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture, spreading it evenly across the pasta.
Step 15 –Add 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese evenly on top.
Step 16 –Add the remaining 1/2 of the pasta and then the remaining half of the cottage cheese mixture.
Step 17 –Pour the remaining meat sauce mixture on top, spreading it into an even layer on top of the casserole.
Step 18 –Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese in an even layer over the top.
Step 19 –Bake until the cheese is melted and lightly browned on top, about 30-45 minutes.
Step 20 –Allow the casserole to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Step 21 –Top with minced parsley or minced basil and serve!
