Johnny Marzetti Casserole

Kids love this buffet-ready casserole dish. I prefer to have this dish sit overnight before baking as the flavors improve and the pasta absorbs some of the sauce so the consistency is just right.

source	Allrecipes.com
categories	main dish, pasta
yield	6
prep time	30 mins
total time	1 hr 55 mins

INGREDIENTS

8 oz rotini pasta

1 lb ground beef

½ lb bulk mild Italian sausage

¾ cup chopped onion

¼ cup chopped celery

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp minced green bell pepper

salt and pepper to taste

1 (14.4 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend

1 ½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F .

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just al dente, 6 to 8 minutes; drain. Run cold water over the pasta to stop pasta from cooking further. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, cook the ground beef and sausage until completely browned and crumbled, 7 to 10 minutes. Mix in the onion, celery, garlic, and pepper; continue to cook and stir another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce. Allow to cool five minutes.

4. Lightly grease a large casserole dish. Spread the pasta over the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle the Italian cheese blend over the pasta. Pour the meat mixture over the pasta and cheese. Cover dish with heavy aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes; remove foil and sprinkle Cheddar cheese evenly over the casserole. Continue baking until Cheddar cheese has melted, about 5 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.