Baked Rotini with Meat Sauce and Mushroom Cream
Layered baked pasta combining ground beef and sausage in a tangy tomato sauce enriched with cream of mushroom soup. Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses bind the dish together, baked until bubbly. A hearty casserole that feeds a crowd with minimal hands-on time after assembly.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cup rotini or medium cut pasta, uncookedpenne1:1pasta
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- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup onion, diced
- ½ cup bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ¼ pound sweet or hot sausage Italian bratwurst breakfast, casings removed
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning(optional)
- 2 small bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes(optional)
- 24 ounce traditional pasta sauce, canned
- 14 ½ ounce diced tomatoes, canned undrained
- 10 ¾ ounce cream of mushroom soup, canned condensed
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.
- 2
Boil pasta in salted water for 2 minutes less than package directions, drain, rinse and set aside.
- 3
Heat oil in a deep skillet and cook onion and bell pepper until softened, about 3 minutes.
- 4
Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- 5
Add ground beef and sausage, cook until no longer pink, breaking into large chunks and draining excess fat.
- 6
Add Italian seasoning, optional Cajun or Creole seasoning, bay leaves, optional red pepper flakes, pasta sauce and canned tomatoes.
- 7
Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook 20 minutes.
- 8
Remove bay leaves, taste and adjust seasonings with salt if needed.
- 9
Combine cooked pasta with meat sauce.
- 10
Mix cheddar and Parmesan in a separate bowl.
- 11
Layer half the pasta mixture in prepared dish, dab half the cream of mushroom soup on top and smooth out.
- 12
Sprinkle with half the cheese mixture.
- 13
Repeat layers with remaining pasta mixture, soup and cheese.
- 14
Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.
- 15
Uncover and bake 5 minutes more or until bubbly.
Tips
Undercook pasta by 2 minutes to prevent mushiness after baking.
Break meat into large chunks rather than fine crumbles for better texture.
Drain excess fat after browning meat to avoid a greasy casserole.
Layer ingredients evenly for consistent cooking and texture.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat covered at 350 degrees F until warmed through.
Assemble entirely, cover and refrigerate up to 12 hours before baking. Extend covered bake time by 10 minutes if starting from cold.
Serve directly from baking dish or portion into bowls. Pairs with garlic bread and green salad.
Common Mistakes
Do not cook pasta to package time to avoid mushy texture after baking.
Do not skip rinsing pasta to remove starch and stop cooking.
Do not omit draining meat fat to prevent greasy casserole.
Do not skip smoothing soup layer to ensure even cream distribution.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
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spice level increases