Wagon Wheel Casserole lets the good times roll in a literal sense. This isn’t like your typical pasta and sauce dinner: the pasta is actually cooked in the sauce itself for maximum sweet, mellow, and herbaceous tomato flavor. Topped with melty and creamy mozzarella cheese, Wagon Wheel Casserole serves all around (get it?) great flavor. This should become a part of your weeknight menu because it’s just that good!
Ingredients
- 16 ounces mini wheels pasta
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, plus more for garnish, optional, chopped
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
- parmesan cheese, optional, grated, for garnish
- parsley, optional, chopped, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2 –Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Step 3 –In the prepared baking dish, stir together the pasta, marinara, water, salt, and 1/4 cup basil.
Step 4 –Cover the baking dish tightly with foil.
Step 5 –Bake for 25 minutes.
Step 6 –Transfer the dish from the oven, remove the foil, and stir. The pasta should be just shy of al dente.
Step 7 –Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top of the casserole.
Step 8 –Return the dish to the oven uncovered until the cheese is melted and the pasta is tender and cooked through, for about 5-10 minutes.
Step 9 –Garnish with the parmesan cheese, parsley, and the remaining basil, and serve!
