Baked Mostaccioli
Baked mostaccioli is easy comfort food at its best! This Italian pasta casserole is filled with lean grass-fed beef, Italian sausage, fresh vegetables, and lots of cheese!
Recently, I brought dinner to my neighbors that had a new baby. They love pasta and I knew that this baked mostaccioli would be the perfect comfort food to prepare. I also like to bake casseroles in disposable pans, to make things easier for them. Washing dirty dishes should never be an issue for a tired new mom!
I’ve made this easy comfort food quite a bit in the past, and it always gets rave reviews. When I make baked mostaccioli for our family, I like to use a whole grain or protein-enriched pasta. If you can’t find mostaccioli pasta at your local grocery store, any thick-cut noodle, like rigatoni will work well for this recipe. Just follow the directions on the box for preparing the pasta al-dente.
How To Make Baked Mostaccioli
Recipe Adapted from Cooks.com
Ingredients:
8 oz Mostaccioli
1 lb grass-fed lean ground beef
1/2 lb Italian sausage
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green peppers
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28oz) can tomatoes, pureed
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp cane sugar
1 tbsp red wine
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 large bay leaf
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
8 oz Mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until almost tender. Drain, rinse with cool water and set aside.
Chop the green pepper, onion, and garlic.
Cook ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, green pepper, and garlic until vegetables are soft and meat is lightly browned.
Drain meat mixture. Add all other ingredients to the pot, then add 2 cups of water, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in Mostaccioli and put into a greased 9×13 pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese and bake for 5 minutes more or until cheese is lightly golden on top.
What To Serve With Baked Mostaccioli
Serve the baked mostaccioli with a big Italian garden salad, crusty garlic bread, and a nice glass of red wine.
Want a bite?!
*Note: This post was originally published in September 2013. It has been updated with new photos and full nutrition information.
Baked Mostaccioli
Ingredients
- 8 oz Mostaccioli
- 1 lb grass-fed lean ground beef
- 1/2 lb Italian sausage
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup chopped green peppers
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 28 oz canned tomatoes pureed
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp cane sugar
- 1 tbsp red wine
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 8 oz Mozzarella cheese freshly shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente (almost tender). Drain, rinse with cool water and set aside.
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, green pepper and garlic until vegetables are soft and meat is lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Drain liquid. Add all other ingredients to the pot (except pasta), then add 2 cups of water, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Stir in Mostaccioli and transfer into an oven-safe, greased 9×13 pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese and bake for 5 minutes more, or until cheese is lightly golden on top.
Nutrition
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Can you make me this when I have my baby too? So sweet of you and looks sooo good! Even though you’re far away, it does give me an idea for guest posting around baby time ๐ xo
Oh, I wish I could Emily!! I don’t think it would ship very well….:)
Looks great Ameee! Warm and cozy ๐
Thanks Bree! Sometimes we just need good comfort food ๐
If u make this the day b4…how long to re-heat in the oven…& does it re-heat well ?? Thx
can you freeze it?
Hi Lisa! Yes, it freezes and reheats beautifully!