Recipe Background
Midwestern Casserole is as hearty as the heartlands themselves! This satisfying dinner is packed with savory ground beef, tender mushrooms, and a tangy tomato sauce that's perfect for families of any size. Elbow macaroni is tossed with a rich and sharp blend of cheddar and parmesan cheeses, then baked until the cheese is golden-brown and the sauce is bubbly. Midwestern Casserole brings comfort to the table with every bite. How could it not? Classic flavors with a gooey, cheesy topping that is sure to become a favorite is the best kind of warm and welcoming dinner!
Midwestern Casserole is as hearty as the heartlands themselves! This satisfying dinner is packed with savory ground beef, tender mushrooms, and a tangy tomato sauce that's perfect for families of any size. Elbow macaroni is tossed with a rich and sharp blend of cheddar and parmesan cheeses, then baked until the cheese is golden-brown and the sauce is bubbly. Midwestern Casserole brings comfort to the table with every bite. How could it not? Classic flavors with a gooey, cheesy topping that is sure to become a favorite is the best kind of warm and welcoming dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) carton mushrooms sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or neutral-flavored cooking oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bell pepper color of your choice, finely chopped
- salt to taste
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 12 ounces elbow macaroni
- 1 (8-ounce) block cheddar cheese grated, divided
- 4 ounces parmesan cheese grated, divided
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- In a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, add the mushrooms and cook, while stirring them occasionally, until they are soft, slightly browned, and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5-8 minutes.
- Pour the mushrooms into a bowl and set them aside.
- Carefully wipe the skillet out and place it over medium-high heat.
- Add the oil and allow it to heat until it shimmers.
- Add the onions to the hot oil and cook until translucent, about 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and the bell peppers to the onions and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Season the onion mixture with the salt.
- Add the ground beef to the onion mixture and reduce the heat to medium.
- Cook the ground beef, while crumbling the meat, until the beef is no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and their juices to the beef mixture, then use the back of a wooden spoon to carefully crush the tomatoes.
- Add the tomato paste, the oregano, the pepper flakes, and the black pepper to the beef mixture and stir to combine.
- Simmer the beef mixture until it thickens slightly, about 20 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms to the sauce and cook, while stirring, until they are incorporated and heated through, about 2 minutes.
- Taste the sauce for seasoning and add the salt, as needed.
- In a large pot of salted, boiling water, add the elbow macaroni and cook until just shy of al dente, according to the package directions.
- Drain the pasta.
- In the same pot used to cook the pasta, add the elbow macaroni and the sauce and toss to combine.
- Add 1/2 of the cheddar cheese and 1/2 of the parmesan to the pasta mixture and toss and mix to combine.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- Top the pasta mixture with the remaining cheddar cheese and the remaining parmesan cheese.
- Bake until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese on top is lightly browned, about 30 minutes.
- Let the casserole sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Serve.
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