Beef and Macaroni Casserole

Hearty, saucy, and deeply comforting — tender elbow macaroni and boldly seasoned ground beef baked together in a rich tomato sauce under a golden, bubbling blanket of melted cheese. A timeless, crowd-pleasing casserole that feeds a hungry family with ease and tastes even better the next day.

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 pounds ground beef (80/20)
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 0.5 teaspoons dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoons dried basil
• 0.5 teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 0.5 cups Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

STEPS

1. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni for 2 minutes less than the package directions — just shy of al dente. Drain well and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
2. Brown the beef: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small crumbles, for 6–8 minutes until deeply browned and cooked through. Drain off excess fat leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
3. Build the sauce: Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion and green bell pepper and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens and caramelizes. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried basil, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir well and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld together.
4. Combine: Remove the skillet from heat and fold the cooked macaroni into the meat sauce until every piece of pasta is evenly coated and the beef and sauce are well distributed throughout.
5. Assemble: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a large 9×13-inch baking dish generously with butter. Pour the beef and macaroni mixture into the prepared dish and spread into an even layer. Scatter 1.5 cups of the shredded cheddar, all of the mozzarella, and all of the Parmesan evenly over the top.
6. Bake covered: Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes until the filling is heated through and bubbling around the edges.
7. Uncover and finish: Remove the foil and scatter the remaining 0.5 cups of cheddar over the top. Return to the oven uncovered and bake for a further 15–20 minutes until the cheese is deeply golden, bubbling, and caramelized in spots.
8. Rest and serve: Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving — the sauce thickens and the layers settle for clean, easy scooping. Garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley and serve hot straight from the dish.

NOTES Tips: Cooking the pasta 2 minutes shy of al dente before baking is essential — fully cooked pasta will turn soft and mushy during the bake. The pasta absorbs moisture from the sauce as it finishes cooking in the oven and produces a perfectly tender, cohesive casserole. Caramelizing the tomato paste before adding the tomatoes is a small step that adds enormous depth — never skip it. The combination of crushed and diced tomatoes gives the sauce both body and texture — using only one or the other produces a less interesting result. Freshly shredded cheese melts far better than pre-shredded which contains anti-caking agents that prevent proper melting. This casserole is even better the next day after the flavors have had overnight to develop — make it ahead and reheat covered with foil in a 325°F oven for 25 minutes. Keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days and freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.