You can always call upon this Old Faithful Casserole to keep bellies full, spirits gladdened, and tastebuds happy… after all, it earned its name for a reason! This dish draws inspiration from lasagna, in that it layers the tender pasta with a delicious, vibrantly rich, and beefy meat sauce and a tangy cheese and sour cream filling. The sauce is fragrant with just the right amount of sweetness while the sour cream filling has notes of intriguing basil and sharp parmesan. It’s a dream of a pasta meal, with a cloud of mozzarella on top to boot! Yep, Old Faithful Casserole will be a favorite go-to that will always make you smile!
Ingredients
For the meat sauce:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
- 15 ounces pasta sauce or tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
For the casserole:
- 12 ounces medium pasta, such as rotini or penne
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- parsley, chopped, to taste, for garnish
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded, plus more to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –Cook the beef, the onion, and the garlic together in a large deep skillet until no pink remains, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 3 –Drain the fat.
Step 4 –Break up the canned whole tomatoes with a spoon or with your clean hands.
Step 5 –Add the broken-up tomatoes, the pasta sauce, the sugar, and the Italian seasoning to the beef mixture.
Step 6 –Simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.
Step 7 –Stir in 1/2 of the parsley and taste for seasoning, adding the salt and the pepper as needed.
Step 8 –Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Step 9 –Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente, according to the package directions.
Step 10 –Drain the pasta but do not rinse it.
Step 11 –Mix the sour cream, the cottage cheese, the egg, the basil, the remaining parsley, and the parmesan in a small bowl.
Step 12 –Add a thin layer of the meat sauce to the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan.
Step 13 –Layer in 1/2 of the pasta and then all of the sour cream mixture.
Step 14 –Layer in the remaining pasta and the remaining meat sauce.
Step 15 –Top the casserole with the mozzarella cheese.
Step 16 –Cover the casserole and bake for 15 minutes.
Step 17 –Uncover the casserole and bake until golden and bubbly, about 10-15 minutes.
Step 18 –Rest the casserole for 5 minutes.
Step 19 –Serve.
